CHARLOTTE, N.C. – It was a milestone evening for the Central Arkansas women's soccer team on Thursday. In addition to opening ASUN play with a win, the win was an important milestone in the program's history: Thursday's win marked win number 200 for the Bears. Additionally, the Bears extended an unbeaten streak of ASUN openers to three seasons in a row with the triumph over the Royals.
 
Sydney Brough had the game-winner, improving the Bears to 2-5-2 on the year with one in the win column to start conference play. It marked the first goal of the season for the Canadian, who redirected a ball from a dangerous spot into the back of the net. Kajsa Pruner notched her second shutout of the season, making six saves and making countless other timely plays that won't show up on her stat sheet. The junior goalkeeper made plenty of well-judged bursts off her line to keep the Queens attack guessing.
 
With both teams playing similar styles of soccer, the first half was very even. Each side wanted to push the ball up the outer lanes of the field before crossing into the box, so possession traded back and forth as each team was trying to move the ball to similar places, albeit in opposite directions. Queens put up the first shot on goal in the ninth minute, but Pruner stayed on top of it. Kelly Van Gundy responded with the Bears' first shot on goal seven minutes later, forcing a save from the Royal keeper.
 
As the first half progressed, the sides stayed equal, both offenses providing a prime example of Newton's third law of motion: for every drive that Queens would make, there would be an equal and opposite drive by the Bears. Neither side was able to establish an advantage, as shown by the halftime stats: 50 percent possession for each team, Queens up four shots to three after 45 minutes, no score.
 
The second half started much like the first: shot by the Bears, shot by the Royals. Goalkeeper makes a great save, goalkeeper makes a great save. But as time passed, the Bears continued to find themselves in prime position, just looking for that last touch or two to finally break the stalemate. Finally, in the 64^th minute, that opportunity came. As the ball bounced around in the box, Brough got just enough of her five-foot, one-inch frame on it to send it in a new direction that the Queens keeper couldn't react to fast enough.
 
With the new score, the energy and pace of the game became frenetic, with Queens now seeking an equalizer and Central Arkansas trying to potentially add a second goal, or at the very least not concede one. After the goal, the teams combined for 11 shots, taking more in 25 minutes than in the entire first half. Queens was responsible for seven of those shots, including three in the final three minutes. But Pruner and the defense were rock solid, repelling all attacks and keeping calm the entire time. With minutes remaining, Pruner made two more saves, essentially icing the game to put the Bears on top to start the conference schedule.
 
This week marks the lone split week for the ASUN, with each team playing one at home and one on the road this week. As such, Central Arkansas returns home for the next one, a Sunday matchup with Kennesaw State. Kickoff against the Owls is set for 1 p.m. at the Bill Stephens Track and Soccer Complex.