CHARLESTON, S.C. - Eastern Kentucky answered a late Charleston Southern goal with the game-winner in the 80th minute as the Buccaneers fell to the visiting Colonels on Sunday afternoon at the CSU Soccer Field, 3-2.

Lydia Frierson and Emilie Gilbert scored a pair of second half goals to even the match up at 2-2 in the 79th minute for the Buccaneers as CSU (2-3) fought to overcome a two-goal deficit. Cassie Smith responded with the game-winning goal for EKU (3-2) in the 80th minute to give the Colonels the win in the final game of the Nike Challenge 1.

Jazmin Gonzalez (0-1) suffered the loss in goal in her first action of the 2016 season. The sophomore goalkeeper recorded two saves in the complete game effort.

Charleston Southern held the 20-14 shot advantage in the loss. Eastern Kentucky held the 6-3 advantage in corner kicks.

CSU remains at home as the Buccaneers host The Citadel on Friday, September 9. Kickoff between the Bucs and the Bulldogs is set for 4 p.m.

The Bucs nearly took the early lead in the eighth minute as Jordan Newman and Anna Sells combined on a sequence that was barely held off by the EKU defense. Newman started the 30 second span with a shot at the 8:16 mark that was saved by EKU's Anna Hall. The deflection landed at the feet of Sells, but her shot from eight yards out hit the top of the crossbar. The rebound went to Newman, but her attempt was blocked inside the box to end the CSU scoring opportunity.

Frierson nearly put the Bucs on the board in the 20th minute, but her shot deflected off the top of the crossbar and over the net.

Eastern Kentucky took the lead in the 28th minute on Emmi Carroll's free kick goal. Carroll's shot off the set play deflected off the bottom of the crossbar from 20 yards out and hit the back of the net to give EKU the 1-0 lead.

Jordan Foster doubled the EKU lead in the 52nd minute off the pass from Carroll. Carroll headed the ball off the goal kick to Foster's feet. The Colonels' scorer took two dribbles and then launched a shot past Gonzalez to give EKU the 2-0 lead at the 51:14 mark.

Frierson put the Bucs on the board in the 63rd minute as the junior midfielder took the goal kick away. After dribbling several times, she tucked her shot in the left side of the net at the 62:58 mark to narrow the lead to 2-1.

Gilbert put the first goal of her collegiate career in the back of the net in the 79th minute as the sophomore defender redirected a ricochet in the box to even the score. Frierson's shot off the corner kick was deflected to the feet of Gilbert who finished the play from six yards out to tie the match at 2-2.

One minute later, Smith put in the game-winning goal for EKU off a rebounded shot attempt in the box.

CSU was unable to put a shot on target in the final 10 minutes as the Colonels closed out the victory.