ANDERSON, S.C. - Three second-half goals by visiting North Georgia foiled Anderson's upset bid as the 25th-ranked Lady Saints rallied to down the Trojans, 3-1, in non-conference women's soccer action Thursday afternoon at Trojan Stadium.

North Georgia improved to 10-1 on the season and has won nine straight since dropping a narrow decision to Belmont Abbey in early September. Anderson dropped to 4-7-1 overall.

AU sophomore Carrie Settle's header in the 16th minute gave the upset-minded Trojans the advantage - one that Anderson would hold for the next fifty-plus minutes. The Columbia, S.C., native booted her team-high sixth score of the season as she gained control of the ball just in front of the Lady Saints' net.

North Georgia's Samantha Abrahart nearly posted the equalizer at the 18:25 mark, but Anderson keeper Kaitlyn Neipp made a diving stop on the attempt to preserve the lead.

The teams traded scoring opportunities off free kicks later in the half, but neither was able to capitalize and the Trojans held the lead at halftime.

Abrahart evened the score in the 56th minute as she took a feed from Casey Smith, the reigning Peach Belt Conference Defender of the Week, and drove the shot to the right side of the net past a diving Neipp.

The Lady Saints' offensive pressure paid dividends when junior Emily Dover recorded the game-winner at the 67:41 mark off a pass from Abrahart, giving NGCSU a 2-1 edge and North Georgia put the contest out of reach on a Danielle Brannan score with less than five minutes on the clock.

"We played well in the first half," said Anderson head coach Jason Dowiak. "Bur defensively we didn't handle their pressure in the second half. ."

North Georgia held a 12-3 advantage in shots on the afternoon and recorded five corner kicks to AU's one. Neipp went the full contest between the pipes for the Trojans, recording six saves, while Kirsten Ross earned the win for NGCSU.

Anderson jumps back into South Atlantic Conference action when the Mars Hill Lions invade Trojan Stadium on Saturday for a 1 p.m. kick-off in the first match of a women's/men's doubleheader.