The Belmont Abbey women's soccer team suffered a 2-0 loss to the 16th-ranked North Georgia Lady Saints this afternoon at Alumni Field in the 2011 home opener. North Georgia remains unbeaten at 6-0, while the Abbey falls to 2-4.

North Georgia's Kelly Penston scored both of the Lady Saints goals, starting with a tally in the 20th minute. Penston got behind the Abbey defense, ran down a pefectly weighted through ball, dribbled twice and beat Hannah Kohls in the lower right corner of the net for the score.

The game remained 1-0 until the 82nd minute when Penston struck again, taking a pass in the right corner of the box and firing a high, arcing shot over the head of Kohl's and into the left corner of the net.

Kohls kept the game at 2-0 with two key stops on free kicks, twice deflecting Penston's 25-yard spot kick over the net.

The Crusaders had two strong chances at tying the score late in the match. The first came less than a minute after Penston's second goal when Ananda Gebreyesus got free at the six yard box and let fly a low screamer that Kirsten Ross stopped.

Then with 1:13 left, Gebreyesus fired a 20-yard shot from the right sideline that hit off the crossbar, then Ross swatted way.

Earlier in the half, Kristin Foster fired a shot from 25 yards out that Ross just got a hand on and knocked it out of bounds for a corner kick.

North Georgia outshot the Abbey 17-9 and held a 6-1 edge in corner kicks. Kohls made four saves, while Ross collected six.