JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. — The 15th-ranked Carson-Newman
men’s soccer team received an at large bid to the NCAA
Division II Tournament, the NCAA announced Monday.
The tournament berth is the seventh straight for C-N, which is a
South Atlantic Conference record.
The Eagles (13-4-1) will host Lander (12-5-2) on Wednesday at 6
p.m. at McCown Field.
The C-N/Lander winner will advance to to take on Anderson (12-3-3)
on Friday at 4 p.m. in Banner Elk, N.C.
C-N went 7-1 in South Atlantic Conference play this season to win
the regular season title and earn the top seed in the SAC
Tournament. After taking down Catawba, 3-1, in the first round, the
Eagles fell to rival Tusculum, 2-1, in the semifinals, snapping
their nine-match winning streak.
Lander enters the tournament having won nine out of its last 10
matches, including a win over top-seeded Flagler in the Peach Belt
Conference Tournament Championship match. The Bearcats went 1-2
against SAC competition this season as they defeated Newberry and
lost to both Wingate and Tusculum.
On the other side of the Southeast Region bracket is top-seeded
Lees-McRae (15-2-1), the seventh-ranked team in the nation.
Lees-McRae will host the winner of Wingate/Flagler on Friday at 7
p.m.
Last season C-N faced Francis Marion in the opening round of the
NCAA Tournament and built a 3-0 lead before falling to the
Patriots, 4-3 in overtime.
The Eagles are 3-6-1 all-time in the NCAA Tournament.