Hickory, N.C. ? For the third time during the young 2009 campaign, the Lenoir-Rhyne Women?s Soccer Team (3-1) netted five goals as it beat Flagler College Friday night, 5-2, dropping the?Saints to 1-1 on the season.

For the first time this year, the Bears did it in front of the home crowd at the Moretz Sports ? Athletic Complex.

Sophomore forward Laura Linehan (San Diego, Calif.) led L-R with a brilliant three-goal performance as the Bears combined for 24 total shots putting nine of them on goal.

The Bears fell behind early in the contest when senior goalkeeper Katelyn Burwell (Carthage, N.C.) misfired on a clear attempt in the 12th minute, and Saints? freshman striker, Loren Cate, put the ball away into an empty net.?

Ten minutes later the Bears would get the equalizer.? Senior defender Shannon Agnew (Alpharetta, Ga.)? picked up her team-leading fifth goal, as she dropped a bomb from the right side that dipped in over the extended finger tips of Flagler goalkeeper, Kaitlyn Goffe (St. Petersburg, Fla.).

The Bears sustained consistent pressure throughout the evening, dictating the tempo for the majority of the contest.? L-R pulled ahead late in the first half when junior midfielder Kelsey Eidson (Jonesboro, Ill.) buried junior midfielder Michelle Garcia's (Dallas, Texas) corner into the back of the net in the 31st minute.

Just five minutes into the second half, Flagler tied the match as junior midfielder Hannah Harvell took a fortuitous bounce out of mid-air for an unassisted tally.?

Just 39 seconds later, the Bears answered.? On a build-up possession from right midfield, junior forward Rebecca Lin (Northridge, Calif.) played an early diagonal ball into the feet of Agnew.? Agnew beat the Saints? defender with three crafty touches then dropped a serve into a streaking Linehan, who headed home the game-winner.

Linehan added two more for good measure, capping off her best offensive performance of the year.

Burwell picked up her third win in net for the Bears as she notched a save.? For the Saints, Goffe had four saves in the loss.

The Bears return to action Tuesday night, as they host the Belmont Abbey Crusaders at the Moretz Sports ? Athletic Complex.? Kickoff is slated for 7:00 p.m.