LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Elyssa Francis smothered the first shot and swallowed up the follow-up.

On Thursday night at Owsley B. Frazier Stadium, the Bellarmine University sophomore goalkeeper thwarted a penalty kick in a breathtaking sequence inside the first eight minutes of a much-anticipated season opener against 2017 national runner-up and 21st-ranked Carson-Newman, a play that seemed to set the tone in a 1-0 victory for the Knights.

Senior forward Annabel Moore scored in the second half for Bellarmine (1-0), which captured its second win over a ranked opponent in a season opener in the last three years. The Knights began 2017 with a 2-1 double-overtime victory over second-ranked Grand Valley State at Frazier Stadium.

Junior defender Ellie Vandergriff assisted on the goal against Carson-Newman (0-1), which is the four-time defending South Atlantic Conference regular-season champion.

Carson-Newman had a golden opportunity to take an early lead as the Eagles were fouled inside the box in the eighth minute. Delaney Griffin set up for the penalty kick and fired toward the right side of the net. Francis made a perfect read, diving left to stop the shot. It deflected toward Griffin, but Francis was right there to corral her rebound attempt.

Those accounted for two of Francis' six saves as she posted the shutout. The Knights' defense stiffened after the penalty kick and largely snuffed out Carson-Newman's dangerous chances the rest of the contest.

Bellarmine had several promising looks in the first half and was seemingly a connection on a header away from at least a one-goal lead. The Knights outshot the Eagles 8-3 before halftime.

Bellarmine broke through in the 65th minute. Sophomore forward Isabella Zamborini sent a corner kick toward the near post that deflected off the hands of the Carson-Newman goalkeeper. Vandergriff was stationed on the left corner of the goal area and, just before the deflection hit the ground, ripped a shot toward the goal. Moore redirected the shot with her midsection into the net for a 1-0 lead.

Bellarmine had some chances to add an insurance goal, but it wasn't needed as the Knights kept the Eagles off the scoreboard. The shots were even at six each in the second half, giving Bellarmine a 14-9 advantage for the match, including 8-6 on frame. The Knights attempted all five of the contest's corner kicks.

Bellarmine will host Tusculum, also of the South Atlantic Conference, at 7 p.m. (ET) Saturday.

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