Rockdale Citizen

CONYERS -- It had been exactly three years since the Heritage girls soccer team had beaten league rival Winder-Barrow. That recent losing spell came to a convincing end Tuesday in Conyers.

Victoria Shelton, Sara Boggus and Kaley Wells each scored a goal and the Patriots' defense was again dominant in a 3-0 victory in Region 8-AAAAA play at Evans Memorial Stadium.

Heritage, which has won its first two region games, is off to a 5-0 start for the second consecutive season. The Conyers school snapped a two-game losing streak against Winder, winning in the series for the first time since March 5, 2010.

Nursing a one-goal lead, the Patriots got an insurance goal midway through the second half. Faith Shelton had a shot blocked by Winder-Barrow keeper Ashley Hagenbaugh, but the rebound came right to Sara Boggus. The freshman beat Hagenbaugh with a blistering shot that snuck into the back, left corner of the goal for her 8th goal of the season and a 2-0 cushion.

Wells got her own rebound and scored to make it a 3-0 game with 4:54 to play.

Meanwhile, the Heritage defense continued their early-season mastery. The visiting Bulldoggs could only muster two shots on goal, while Heritage secured its fifth consecutive shut out.

Winder-Barrow (3-2, 1-2) didn't get its initial shot on goal until the 38:05 mark of the second half when Clara Tapplin's long free kick was corralled by Heritage keeper Mady Carter. Seven minutes later, Carter made a diving stop of a shot by Sophia Lindop.

Carter was rarely threatened after that.

Heritage broke through with just under 30 minutes to play in the opening half.

Haley Elliot found a streaking Shelton and the senior forward did the rest, beating two defenders and a diving Hagenbaugh, from 15 yards out to put the Patriots up 1-0.

Hagenbaugh was tested on several other occasions during the first 40 minutes. The junior keeper made a pair of saves on Wells' shots in the first four minutes, and midway through the half, Elliot had a shot saved and a second chance from 20 yards out at the 10:49 mark hit the crossbar.

With a little under two minutes left until halftime, Shelton's shot was saved by a diving Hagenbaugh.

Heritage and Winder-Barrow played in the boys nightcap, which ended too late for this edition.