HIGHLIGHTS (YouTube)

CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Citadel women's soccer team improved to 3-0 on Sunday afternoon, claiming a 2-1 victory over in-state rival South Carolina State at Washington Light Infantry (WLI) Field.

The 3-0 start ties the program record for best start in program history, which was set last season when the Bulldogs started the campaign with three 2-0 victories over UNC Asheville, Alabama A&M and LIU Brooklyn. All three wins this season have come at home, matching the program record for most home wins in a row. The 2014, 2010 and 2002 squads all also enjoyed streaks of three wins in a row at home to set the standard. The 2013 team recorded five positive results in a row at home near the beginning of the campaign, going 3-0-2 (W, T, W, T, W) and the 2002 team went 3-0-1 (W, W, W, T) at home near the middle of the season.

"It feels very good (to be 3-0). That was a target for us at the start of the year, we wanted to open up 3-0 and the challenges just get tougher from here on out," said second-year head coach Ciaran Traquair. "We have Charleston Southern coming up next Friday and we'll have to be stronger defensively. I don't think we have to focus too much on our ability to create chances, but we certainly need to work on our ability to score goals because we had a lot of opportunities today that we probably should have taken advantage of."

On Sunday, the two Bulldog teams took a while to feel the other side out with S.C. State (0-3) recording the first shot under a minute in before a stretch of nearly eight minutes went by where neither team was able to get a shot off.

In the 18^th minute, senior Tinslee Dilday scored her first goal of the season to give the home-standing Bulldogs a 1-0 advantage. Maria Contreras sent the ball to Caroline Cashion who used one touch to flick the ball over to Dilday who was racing up the right side of the field. Dilday didn't waste her opportunity as she sent the ball across the box and into the lower left corner of the goal for the finish.

In the first half alone, The Citadel out-shot the visiting Bulldogs from Orangeburg 12-4. By the time the final horn blew, The Citadel had taken 26 shots, 13 on frame, compared to just six by S.C. State.

The second half began very similar to the first half, but with The Citadel looking to push the tempo a bit more. It eventually paid off as Sam Waarum took a pass from Contreras and did a give-and-go to Cierra Skyers who slipped the ball in past the S.C. State keeper, stretching the advantage to 2-0.

In the 84^th minute, S.C. State appeared to find some new life as Tierra Pullard scored the first goal of the season for S.C. State. Pullard put a header into the right side of the goal off a corner kick that was bouncing around the box.

Despite the visiting Bulldogs pulling to within one, The Citadel was able to regroup and close out the win.

Skyers laid down heavy pressure on S.C. State's keeper all game long, taking seven shots with four being on goal while knob Ellie Burgess added four shots of her own, with three being on frame.

Between the pipes, knob Kaeley Johnston (3-0) earned her third career start and third collegiate victory. Before giving up the goal to S.C. State, Johnston had gone over 178 minutes without allowing a goal. Johnston had two saves on the day.

Mahogany Fisher (0-2) earned her second start of the season between the pipes for S.C. State and made 10 saves despite conceding the two goals.

The Citadel will be back in action next weekend for a pair of games at WLI Field against two Big South Conference foes. On Friday, Sept. 1, the Bulldogs will take on cross-town rival Charleston Southern (1-2) at 4 p.m. before welcoming Presbyterian College (1-0) on Sunday, Sept. 3 at 1 p.m.

For more information on The Citadel soccer team, follow @CitadelWSoccer or visit CitadelSports.com.