CONWAY, Ark. – Lipscomb Women's Soccer picked up a gritty 2-1 win over Central Arkansas on Thursday night, battling through a physical matchup to remain unbeaten in ASUN play.

The Bisons came out strong, controlling possession in the opening minutes and creating several dangerous chances. Hailey Johnson nearly opened the scoring on a breakaway, forcing a save from the UCA goalkeeper, before Maddy Rhodes' follow-up attempt was blocked. The breakthrough came midway through the first half when London De Fini unleashed a powerful strike from just outside the box that rattled off the crossbar. Johnson reacted quickly to the rebound, heading it into the back of the net to give Lipscomb the early lead.

Central Arkansas relied heavily on counterattacks in the first half, forcing a few looks on goal, but the Bisons' back line stayed organized, and goalkeeper Kaina Cesar came up with a key save to keep the advantage intact. Bella Carapazza nearly doubled the lead with a long-range strike that was pushed away by the UCA keeper, as the game grew increasingly physical heading into halftime.

The Bears equalized in the second half after a handball in the box awarded them a penalty kick, which they converted to even the score at 1-1. Momentum shifted as UCA grew into the match, but Lipscomb kept pressing for a response. De Fini nearly scored directly from a corner kick, and Abby Ross tested the keeper with a strike of her own.

The decisive moment came in the 70th minute when Skylar Cole turned inside the box and ripped a shot into the back of the net, restoring the Bisons' lead. From there, Lipscomb locked in defensively, fending off a handful of UCA attempts that never seriously threatened.

In the end, the Bisons' composure and persistence proved the difference, securing their second straight ASUN victory. Lipscomb now improves to 4-0 in conference play and continue their road trip as they play at North Alabama on Sunday, October 5th at 1 PM CT.