COLUMBUS, Ga. — Chris Tinius is hoping for more balance offensively from his Bellarmine University women's soccer team this season. For one match at least, that's exactly what the Knights coach received from his 10th-ranked squad.

Three different players scored for Bellarmine and five different Knights helped to account for the goals in a 3-1 season-opening victory over Lincoln Memorial in the Columbus State (Ga.) University Invitational at the Walden Soccer Complex.

Freshman forward Olivia Taylor tallied a goal and an assist against Lincoln Memorial (0-1) in her collegiate debut for Bellarmine (1-0), and freshman forward Annabel Moore added a helper. Sophomore midfielder Audrey Van Der Elst and senior forward Mary Beth Gorham both scored, and senior midfielder Lauren Holder chipped in two assists.

"It was a good season-opening win," Tinius said. "It was a typical season opener in that there were some very good moments and some head scratchers, but we got a win against a solid team and now we get ready for Sunday (against 2015 DII NCAA Tournament participant Lee)."

Van Der Elst may not have scored her freshman season, but she sure didn't waste any time this year. Less than one minute after entering the match, Van Der Elst received a chip from Moore and tapped the ball into the left side of the net for a 1-0 lead in the 21st minute.

After Lincoln Memorial responded in the 27th minute and the score remained 1-1 at halftime, Bellarmine struck quickly in the second half with two goals. Taylor spotted Holder, who crossed to Gorham for a header that found the net in the 47th minute. The All-American is now two goals shy of tying Jaime Halas for the Bellarmine career goals record.

Holder notched another assist when she sent a long pass to Taylor, who outran the defense and beat the keeper for a 3-1 lead in the 55th minute. Holder is now two assists away from MacKenzie Prather's career record.

"We had a lot of possession in the first half, but I thought our ideas in the attack looked much better in the second," Tinius said. "There was more purpose to our movement, and we scored two good goals quickly out of the break. If we can be cleaner on the ball, we can be pretty dangerous. Mary Beth rose up for a great header, and I always love seeing people get their first college goal like Audrey and Olivia did today."

Bellarmine owned a 17-7 advantage in shots, including 5-3 in shots on goal. The Knights had a relatively decisive hold on the attempts in both halves, outshooting the Railsplitters 8-3 before the break and 9-4 afterward, although Tinius said there were some lapses in play.

"We will have to be sharper defensively moving forward," he said. "It can be hard when you have a lot of the ball, but losing focus and one misstep here or there and a lack of one-versus-one defending and all of the sudden you've given up a goal. LMU had some dangerous players in the attack, and we were exposed for that on several occasions."

Bellarmine concludes play in the CSU Invitational at 11:30 a.m. (ET) Sunday when the Knights clash with Lee.

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