CHARLOTTE – The UNC Pembroke soccer team battled back from a 2-0 hole to bring the game even at 2-2 early in the second half, but host Queens converted a penalty kick off the post in the 66th-minute to score the eventual game-winning goal in a rematch of last season's NCAA Tournament first-round matchup.

MATCH INFORMATION
Score: UNC Pembroke 2, Queens 3
Records: UNC Pembroke (1-1); Queens (1-1)
Location: Dickson Field
Series: UNC Pembroke leads 4-3

HOW IT HAPPENED
Box Score/Play-by-Play

FIRST HALF
-The first real opportunity of the game went to Queens early in the 9th-minute when the Royals hit the crossbar and post just three seconds apart and forced UNCP keeper Gina Ryan to make her first save eight seconds later.
-Queens' first tally came off a free kick in the 17th-minute when Charlotte Ring headed home the floater before crashing into the net.
-Just over four minutes later, Gina Ryan turned back Ring's header off a corner kick to log her third save of the first half.
-Late in the 23rd-minute, Ring sent a low cross into the box that found the foot of Lulu Phan, who deposited the ball into the back of the net to give the hosts a 2-0 lead.
-UNCP attempted a trio of shots in the first 45 minutes, but just one forced Queens keeper Rachel Quest to make a save.
-Queens took the only five corner kicks of the first half and a total of 13 fouls were called (six on UNCP and seven on Queens). 

SECOND HALF
-Just 50 seconds into the second half, UNCP senior Stacey Scott bolted down the right side of the box and beat the keeper across her body to the left to cut the Black & Gold deficit in half. It was Scott's first goal of the season.
-After a Queens foul in the 56th-minute, junior Katy Ryan stepped up to a free kick six yards from the top of the box and curled the ball around the wall and into the lower left portion of the net to tie the game at 2-2. Ryan now has two goals in two games this season after not scoring in the first 31 games of her career.
-The game would remain tied for just under 10 minutes after a Queens player went down in the box and the Braves were whistled for a foul. Ring stepped up to the penalty kick and clanged the ball off the left post in to put the hosts up 3-2.
-UNCP had two shots in the final 10 minutes, including a Kristina Stevenson header on goal in the 81st-minute, but the Royals defense didn't break and Queens held on for the 3-2 victory.

NOTABLES
-Queens attempted nine shots, including nine on goal, while the Braves fired seven total shots and four on net.
-Each side took one corner kick in the second half after Queens had all five in the opening stanza.
-Scott was the only Brave with multiple shots, while a quintet of UNCP players attempted one shot each.
-Queens' Ring scored twice on five shots and picked up an assist as well to have a hand in all three Royals' goals.
-Saturday was the just the fourth time Gina Ryan has allowed three goals in a game and the first time since her freshman season in 2016. The junior made six saves in the setback.

UP NEXT
The Braves return home September 8 when Anderson makes the trip to Pembroke for a 4 p.m. game at Lumbee River EMC Stadium. The Trojans (0-2) have dropped a pair of 2-0 contests to Peach Belt Conference members Georgia College and North Georgia. UNCP knocked off Anderson 1-0 last season on the road thanks to an own goal, which was the first time the teams had locked horns in school history.