Belmont Abbey midfielder Conor Wells scored the only goal of the match just 1:22 into the second half on a header, and a tough Crusader defense turned away a hard offensive surge by Catawba to earn a 1-0 win this afternoon in the 2012 home opener at Alumni Field. The Crusaders move to 2-0-0, while Catawba drops to 1-2-0.

The Abbey came out strong, as Timmi Borges Da Silva nearly put the Crusaders on the board just 23 seconds into the match when he ran down a loose ball on the right flank and fired a shot that just sailed wide. At the 2:44 mark, Jose Penaloza nearly scored from point blank range, but Catawba goalkeeper Evan Harvey made the save. Five of the Abbey's 13 shots came in the first 26 minutes.

After a scoreless first half, Wells found the back of the net for the second time in as many matches at the 46:22 mark. Ross Smith took a short corner kick and sailed a pass into the box, where Ben Vangucci redirected the ball with his head that Harvey swatted away, but the carom came right to Wells, who, with two defenders on his back, nudged the ball just over the goal line before an Indians defender swatted it way. The referee's assistant ruled the ball crossed the line, and the goal stood as the Abbey grabbed the 1-0 lead.

The defense made it stand up as the Crusaders turned back several Catawba scoring chances. The Indians were credited with 12 corner kicks, nine in the second half, but goalkeepers Jordan Junot and Philip Bru were both equal to the task of the Catawba scoring chances, as the Abbey held on for the win.

Junot stopped three shots in the first 66:55 before making way for Bru, who did not record a save. Harvey stopped seven shots. The Crusaders outshot the Indians by a slim 13-12 edge, but Catawba's 12 corner kicks were six more than the Crusaders attempted.