GREENSBORO, N.C. - Juliet Esnardo tied the game with a goal early in the second half, but the UNCG Spartans scored twice in a three-minute span to take a lead they would not surrender en route to a 3-1 win over the VMI Keydets, in SoCon women's soccer action Sunday in Greensboro, N.C. With the loss and Chattanooga's win over ETSU, the Keydets will be the #9 seed in the SoCon tourney and will travel to UTC Wednesday evening.

With the Keydets (6-12-1, 2-7 SoCon) down 1-0, UNCG keeper Chloe Buehler came off her line to play a ball on the edge of the box to her left. Esnardo was able to hustle to the ball and win it, best a defender and put it in the back of the net to tie the score. Chesney White (66th minute) and Diarra Simmons (69th), however, scored moments later to give UNCG the win.

Darien Dunham posted 11 saves for VMI, moving her into sole possession of second place on VMI's all-time single season listing in that statistic.

Dunham had five saves in the first 33:05 of game action, but UNCG (8-8-3, 6-2-1) took the lead in the 38th minute. A short cross from Simmons found the foot of Caylin Prillaman six yards out, and Prillaman converted for her fifth goal of the season and a 1-0 Spartan lead. That was the score at halftime, thanks to seven Dunham saves in the first 45 minutes.

Esnardo tied the match at 57:49, but White's sixth goal of the year and Simmons' third were enough to give UNCG the victory and with it, the #3 seed in the SoCon Tournament.

"I thought we played hard today," said VMI head coach Chris Bergmann. "We generated quality offensive chances, especially by Sydnie Bligh and Olivia Cotton, but just were not able to convert those into goals."

VMI women's soccer will return to action when the team takes on the Chattanooga Mocs Wednesday in the 8-9 game of the Southern Conference Tournament. Kickoff in Chattanooga, Tenn., is set for 6 p.m.