The Belmont Abbey women's soccer team scored three first half goals and sophomore forward Connie Axiotis added another in the second half on her second goal of the match as the Crusaders opened their Conference Carolinas schedule with a 4-2 win at Pfeiffer this afternoon. The Abbey, unbeaten in 40 of its last 41 matches against Conference Carolinas opponents, moves to 2-1 overall and 1-0 in Conference Carolinas, while Pfeiffer evens its record to 2-2 overall and 0-1 in Conference Carolinas.

Belmont Abbey scored three unanswered goals in the first 35 minutes as it sped away with a lead it would never lose. Freshman Alana Ryczek notched her first career goal at the 14:07 mark off an assist from Nicole Voets, firing home a cross off of a corner kick for a 1-0 Crusader advantage.

2:53 later, Axiotis found the back of the net for the first time of the 2009 season as she connected on a blast from the left flank into the back right post to extend the Abbey lead to 2-0.

Freshman Kristin Foster made it 3-0 on her first career goal at the 35:05 mark, converting a Pfeiffer turnover into a breakaway and scoring from 15 yards out.

Pfeiffer cut into the lead 53 seconds later as Alyssa Wombwell scored her fourth goal of the year, heading home a cross off of a corner kick to send the two teams into the break with the Abbey leading 3-1.

Six minutes into the second half, the Falcons would trim the Abbey's lead to one at 3-2 as Megan Blevins scored on a crossing shot from 18 yards out at the 51:58 mark. 22 seconds later, the Abbey regained its two goal lead as Axiotis scored her second goal of the match, intercepting a back pass to the goalkeeper and beating Pfeiffer goalkeeper Suzie Hinman.

Pfeiffer outshot the Abbey 22-10 and held a 6-4 advantage in corner kicks. Abbey goalkeeper Kelsey Lovell set a career-high with 11 saves, while Hinman made two.