The Citadel 3, Charleston Southern 2

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. – An 81^st-minute goal by Mariana Garcia opened up the scoring frenzy for the Bulldogs on Monday as The Citadel posted three goals in the final 10 minutes of play to top Charleston Southern 3-2.

The win improved The Citadel's record to 2-5 as it begins Southern Conference action this weekend.

Garcia started the Bulldogs' three-goal swing in the 81st minute when she took a corner kick from Anastasia Mesa and fired it into the net past Buccaneer keeper Caitlin Cody.

Not even two minutes later, Bulldog captain Vanessa Aponte recorded her first goal of the season, and the game's equalizer, when freshman McKenzie Duncan chipped a pass to Aponte that she fired off the post and into the back of the net.

Nicole Levermann finished off the scoring trio when she dribbled the ball through the defense and fired a rocket through traffic into the lower right corner of the net past Cody. The 84^th-minute score would prove to be the difference maker.

Garcia's goal was her fifth of the season and 22nd of her career, leaving her just six shy of the school record. The Bogota, Colombia, native's two points place her in a tie for second in Citadel history with 49.

Aponte's four shots give her 156 for her career, leaving her just nine shy of the school record, while her two shots on goal move her into sole possession of third place all-time with 69.

Levermann posted her 10th career goal and her third game-winner, moving her into a tie for third place all-time, while Mesa's assist was her third of the season and fourth of her career, moving her into a tie for sixth most in Citadel history.

The first half was played evenly by both teams as Bulldog goalkeeper Sarah Katchen stymied the Buccaneer attack by collecting six saves, while Cody collected four for the Buccaneers. 

It took just over a minute into the second frame for the Buccaneers to break the 0-0 tie as Rebecca Hollstegge played a ball into the box and beat Katchen on a one-on-one challenge to give her team a 1-0 advantage.

Charleston Southern (2-4-1) built on its lead in the 64th minute when Toni Lashley headed a shot into the back of the net to give the Bucs a 2-0 edge.

The Citadel defense settled down after the second goal and Katchen continued to shine, collecting five more saves in the second frame to give the junior 11 on the day and 33 on the season.

The win was Katchen's second of the season, improving her record to 2-4-1.

The Bulldogs will kick off Southern Conference action this weekend when they host Furman on Friday at 4 p.m. before taking on Wofford on Sunday at 2 p.m.