CULLOWHEE, N.C. – With just over a minute to play, Ellie Garrison raced to a loose ball in the box, swung her left leg and drilled the game-winning goal to complete a brace and lift App State to a 3-2 road victory over Western Carolina to open the season.
Garrison, who was named a Preseason All-Sun Belt selection and a National Midfielder to Watch by United Soccer Coaches also converted a first-half penalty kick to register her second career two-goal game.
In the first meeting between the long-time SoCon rivals since 2013, App State (1-0) opened the scoring in the tenth minute of play.