FARMVILLE, Va. – The Longwood women's soccer squad aced its first test of 2017, riding a game-winning goal from junior midfielder Annie Boros to a 1-0 season-opening win over three-time reigning Southwestern Atlantic Conference champion Howard Sunday afternoon at the Longwood Athletics Complex.
 
The season-opening win signaled the start of Longwood University's 11th season as a fully-fledged Division I institution and saw women's soccer head coach Todd Dyer's Lancers (1-0-0) shut out a Howard program that has won SWAC Tournament titles in 2014 and 2015 and the league's regular season championship in 2016.
 
Behind a trademark staunch defense that surrendered the fewest goals in the Big South last season, Longwood allowed Howard (0-2-0) just one shot on goal during the 90-minute showdown on the sun-baked pitch in Farmville. The shutout was the Lancers' sixth straight on their home field, dating back to 2016 when they outscored their final five home opponents 11-0 to finish 7-2-0 on their home field.
 
"We're happy to get a positive result and earn a shutout on our home field to start the season," said Dyer, who officially began his 24th season as head coach of the Lancers Sunday. "We created some nice chances that we need to start finishing, but it also helps us to grow having to find a way to close out such a tight game.
 
"There are areas on both sides of the ball that we need to clean up, and once we do, I'm confident we'll be a tough team to beat."
 
Longwood outshot Howard 13-5 and broke through in the 55th minute when Boros delivered the game-winner for her first career goal. That go-ahead chance came by way of sophomore forward Emilie Kupsov, who threaded a needle of a pass from the endline through Howard's defense to the feet of Boros, who finished it off with a dart to the right corner of the net.
 
The goal also gave Kupsov her first career assist and sealed Longwood's third season-opening win in the past four seasons.
 
"We played well and capitalized on that goal, but I think we still have a lot to work on," said Kupsov, a 63-goal scorer during her high school career who drew the start on the front line in Sunday's win. "We could have scored more, and I think we had a few scary moments, but overall we played well. It's a good win."
 
Boros and Kupsov spearheaded Longwood's offensive attack, teaming up to take six of the Lancers' 13 shots. Longwood controlled nearly the entire second half, allowing the Bison just one shot on goal while outshooting them 10-3 over the game's final 45 minutes.
 
"Congratulations to Annie for scoring her first Longwood goal, which ultimately sealed the game for us," Dyer said. "She put in so much work this summer, and it's really set her up to have a significant impact for us. And kudos to our keeper and back line for dealing with some pressure and still maintaining a clean sheet. Now we look forward to Towson on Thursday."

The Kupsov-to-Boros connection was the highlight of the 2017 introduction for the Lancers, whose originally scheduled season opener at Richmond Friday was rained out. All-Big South honorable mention goalkeeper Maria Kirby earned the one-save shutout, giving her 17 for her career which is already Longwood's Division I career record.
 
All-Big South first-team defender Sydney Wallace and freshman Jillian Wright fronted Longwood's defensive effort by playing all 90 minutes on Longwood's back line.
 
The Lancers will now four days to prepare for another home meeting, which brings Towson to the Longwood Athletics Complex this Thursday, Aug. 24, for a 7 p.m. showdown.
 
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