Three Unanswered Goals Lift Bulldogs in Lowcountry Derby

Thursday, September 10

Charleston, S.C.

4:00 PM

The Citadel

4-1-2, 0-0-0

Charleston Southern

1-5-0, 0-0-0

Team	1	2	Final F
Charleston So.	1	0	1
The Citadel	1	2	3

Photo by: Tom Thompson

Three Unanswered Goals Lift Bulldogs in Lowcountry Derby

9/10/2026 9:05:00 PM | Soccer

Box Score

By: The Citadel Athletics

CHARLESTON, S.C. -- The Citadel (4-1-2, 0-0-0 SoCon) scored three unanswered goals to rally past Charleston Southern (1-5-0, 0-0-0 Big South), 3-1, Thursday evening at Washington Light Infantry Field, extending the program's unbeaten streak to five consecutive matches.

Jasiah Pack leveled the match late in the first half before Samantha Grantham scored just 12 seconds into the second period to give the Bulldogs the lead. Avery Lang added an insurance goal in the 74th minute to seal the victory.

"Delighted to get the victory against a local rival," head coach Ciaran Traquair said. "We probably deserved it in the end, but had to dig deep defensively at 2-1 to protect the lead. Well done to Avery Lang for grabbing the third and putting the game to bed. Charleston Southern caused us a few issues tactically, and the girls adapted to the changes well to give us the win."

First Half

Grantham put The Citadel's first attempt on goal just 55 seconds into the match before Charleston Southern responded with four shots between the 10th and 12th minutes, including an effort from Campbell Taylor that struck the woodwork.
The Bulldogs answered with pressure of their own as Pack and Grantham each forced saves, while Sophie Voyer hit the right post in the 15th minute.
The Bulldogs' Zoe Santos denied Taylor in the 27th minute, but Charleston Southern broke through at 31:06 when Gianna Simon scored following a Buccaneers corner.
The Citadel responded in the 38th minute when Lang found Pack, who converted to level the match at 1-1. The goal marked Pack's fourth of the season, while Lang picked up her first assist as a Bulldog.

Second Half

The Bulldogs wasted little time taking the lead after the midway break as Grantham scored off an assist from Caelynn January at 45:12, just 12 seconds into the second half.
Grantham's seventh goal of the season moved her back into a tie for the SoCon lead and gave her a league-best 16 points. The senior has now scored seven goals this season after totaling six over her first three seasons at The Citadel.
The goal also marked Grantham's third game-winner of the season after she entered the year without a game-winning goal in her career. January's assist was her second of the season.
Charleston Southern pushed for an equalizer, generating three shots between the 58th and 65th minutes, with Santos turning away Rachel Gopalakrishnan's attempt at 64:43.
The Buccaneers continued to apply pressure while trailing 2-1, but the Bulldogs held firm before Lang provided separation in the 74th minute.
Pack returned the favor to Lang at 73:55 to extend the advantage to 3-1. The goal was Lang's first as a Bulldog and, paired with her first-half assist, gave her a three-point performance on her birthday.
Pack's assist on the goal was her team-leading fifth of the season, moving her into the SoCon lead.
Santos added saves in the 81st and 89th minutes to help close out the victory.

Grantham finished with a match-high five shots, placing four on goal. Pack put both of her attempts on frame, while Lang converted her lone shot of the match.

The Bulldogs also continued their second-half defensive dominance, holding Charleston Southern scoreless after halftime. The Citadel has yet to allow a second-half goal through seven matches this season, outscoring their opponents 11-0 after the break.

Santos played all 90 minutes in goal, making four saves while allowing one goal.

The Bulldogs return to Washington Light Infantry Field on Saturday, Sept. 12, for Senior Day against Bob Jones. Kickoff is scheduled for 11:30 a.m.