CHARLESTON, S.C. - The clouds rolled in and drenched Buccaneer Field right after kickoff, but the spirits of the Charleston Southern soccer team were not dampened by the cold, soggy conditions as the Buccaneers took down Virginia Military Institute 3-0 Monday afternoon.

CSU (9-4-1, 2-1-1 Big South Conference) battled both VMI (4-8, 2-2 BSC) and a field that caused balls to both skip in certain areas and stop instantly in others, but the home side took care of business and earned the crucial three points against a scrappy Keydet squad.

Both teams took awhile to get used to the sloppy weather, and it showed as neither team could find a goal or even a legitimate scoring opportunity in the opening half.

The Buccaneers finally broke through in the 77th minute when Caitlin Wesnesky took a ball off the bounce inside the 18-yard box and volleyed it into the back of the net. Lindsey Trexler was the provider after a perfectly-placed corner kick.

Trexler would add an insurance goal in the 86th minute on a swift counter after VMI was trying desperately to notch the equalizer. Wesnesky possessed the ball 30 yards straight-away from goal, and sent a pass to Trexler who took a touch 20 yards away to give herself a clear opening at the net. She rifled a shot past the diving Keydet goalkeeper when she had enough room and it stayed true.

The game was no longer in doubt after the Trexler goal, but Rebecca Hollstegge added her second career goal in the 87th minute off a well-placed free kick from Jen Vroman. Vroman now has an assist in each of her last three games.

Jena Lalich (4-1-1) posted her first clean sheet of the season and CSU earned its first shutout since a 5-0 victory over University of South Carolina Upstate Sept. 1.

Charleston Southern will invade enemy grounds next weekend when the team travels to both Asheville, N.C., and Clinton, S.C., for pivotal Big South action. The Buccaneers will first do battle with the University of North Carolina Asheville at 4 p.m. Oct. 16, and will conclude the double-dip against Presbyterian College at 2 p.m. Oct. 18.