Need to Know
Score:  Piedmont 7 - Agnes Scott 0
Records:  Piedmont 1-0, Agnes Scott 0-1
Location: Decatur, Georgia - Gellerstedt Field

Decatur, GA - It didn't take long for the Lady Lion soccer team to find its grove offensively as the Piedmont College women's soccer squad opened 2015 with a bang earlier today knocking off Agnes Scott College 7-0 on the road in the season opener.  Piedmont outshot the Scotties nine to four in the opening period holding a 4-0 lead at the break to dominate the action over its in-state rival.  

The seven-goal victory is the largest margin of victory over Agnes Scott in the last 13 seasons as six different players accounted for the scoring on the day with only MEGAN HATFIELD tallying more than one.  MARISSA AKIN's goal in the 11th minute of play stood up as the gamewinner with TORI GILLETT getting the helper on the score.  

MICHAELA GARDNER earned her first win of the season in goal as the Lady Lions have posted 0's defensively in 15 of their last 21 games dating back to last season.

Turning Point
-MARISSA AKIN's strike from about 15 yards outside the penalty box which found the back of the net over the head of Scotties keeper Sydney Holstad. It was Akin's first goal since she scored the gamewinner against Covenant College in the 2013 USA South semifinals on the way to a conference tournament title.

Standout Performances
-CASSIDY REICH had quite the debut for PC with three assists and a goal of her own as she tallied the score in the 53rd minute to answer a flurry of pressure from Agnes Scott to open the 2nd half.
-MEGAN HATFIELD posted two goals in the second half including a header on a corner from Reich...Hatfield has now had a multi-goal game in each of her three seasons with the team.
-MICHAELA GARDNER's shutout performance in goal involved two saves including a key stop in the closing minutes of the first half...Gardner has not allowed a goal in her last four starts dating back to last season continuing a shutout streak of nearly 385 minutes.

Inside the Box Score
-Nearly 30 players saw time for the Lady Lions in the contest including 11 freshman.
-Piedmont was up by four scores before 40 minutes had ticked away in the first half.
-The seven goal margin of victory matches the largest from last season.
-Piedmont is more than 1/5 the way to its scoring total from all of last season after today's win.

News & Notes
-Prior to today, five of the last six contests in this series with Agnes Scott had been decided by one-goal.
-Piedmont's last loss to Agnes Scott came in 2007 just prior to the start of the Stephen Andrew era in 2008.

Up Next
Piedmont travels this weekend to the Maryville College Fall Invitational where the Lady Lions will take on Birmingham-Southern on Saturday at 3:00 pm and Bridgewater on Sunday at 2:00 pm.

How to Follow
To stay up to date on all information regarding Piedmont College Athletics, be sure to visit PiedmontLions.com and connect with the Green and Gold on social media. Follow the Lions on Twitter: @PiedmontLions, Instagram: @PiedmontLions, Snapchat: @PiedmontLions and Facebook. To follow each Piedmont athletic program on social media, use the Social Media Directory at PiedmontLions.com or click here.