DAHLONEGA, Ga. – A 14-day layoff and a neutral-site atmosphere were nothing the UNC Pembroke women's soccer team couldn't handle Saturday afternoon in Dahlonega, as the Braves blew past Peach Belt Conference (PBC) foe Montevallo 4-0 at the UNG Soccer Complex.

The Braves (7-2-0, 5-0-0 PBC), having not seen game action since Oct. 1, scored four first-half goals on eight shots and have now outscored their last seven opponents 16-1. The Falcons (4-7-1, 3-5-1 PBC) suffer their fifth shutout of the season and slip into seventh-place in the league race, while the Black & Gold are the only PBC team without a loss or tie in conference action.

"I'm so proud of this team," head coach Lars Andersson said. "They showed up and put on a great performance from the first whistle despite only having one practice day in the last week."

Just over 10 minutes into play, UNCP senior Amber Watkins broke the 0-0 tie with her third goal of the season, using an assist from Mackenzie Wright, her third. The Braves kept the pressure on the Falcon defense, netting three goals in a 10-minute span from the 27th-minute to the 37th.

Freshman Carly Rochelle found the back of the net in the 27th- and the 31st-minute for her team-high third and fourth goals of the season. The latter was assisted by Kate Weisner, her first. Weisner added a goal to her box-score line in the 37th-minute, scoring off her own rebound. It's the junior's first goal of the 2016 campaign.

"Given the current situation in Robeson County, this was a very insignificant victory in many ways, but we can only hope that we have given all our loyal UNCP supporters a brief break from the many challenges that Hurricane Matthew brought to our area," Andersson said.

Goalkeepers Gina Ryan and Courtney Almon, as well as the UNCP back line, proved effective against 10 Montevallo shots, including five on goal. Ryan got the start in net and played the first 59 minutes of the game, saving a trio of shots before giving way to Almon. The sophomore replacement saved a pair of Falcon shots in her 31 minutes of action. Ryan's .025 goals against average and .949 save percentage remain tops in the league and top-five marks in all of Division II.

The Braves held a 12-10 advantage in the shot column and attempted three corner kicks to Montevallo's two. The 12 shots from UNCP is the second-lowest mark of the season, but the four goals ties a season high, as the Black & Gold converted shots at a .333 clip, also a season best.

Rochelle, Wright and Weisner each fired a team-high three shots, while Amber Watkins, Katie Watkins and Courtney Crump recorded one shot apiece.

"The women came into this game with two goals in mind: win and make our great #BraveNation proud," Andersson said. "We are truly honored to wear the Brave logo on our jerseys and I think that showed in our performance today."

The Black & Gold return home for the first time since Sept. 24 on Monday when they host PBC rival Francis Marion at 5 p.m. Originally scheduled for Oct. 5, the game was postponed due to the impending arrival of Hurricane Matthew. The Patriots (0-12-0, 0-7-0 PBC) have been outscored 69-5 this season, including 43-3 in league play. The Braves and Patriots haven't met since 2004 and FMU holds a 6-0 advantage in series history.