JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman (9-4, 5-3 SAC) hosts no. 11 Queens (11-2, 8-1 SAC), currently ranked top in the conference, for senior night Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
"There's no pressure on us," Carson-Newman head soccer coach Richard Moodie said. "Queens could win the conference for boys here on Saturday. The only problem is they haven't played us yet."
The Eagles are coming off a four-game win streak with a 2-1 win over Mars Hill last Wednesday. The Mountain Lions took the lead in the 30th minute off a penalty kick.
Carson-Newman tied it up with three minutes left in the first half. Duncan Foster (Naphill, High Wycomb, United Kingdom) sent a long ball into the box that Kristian Speake (Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, United Kingdom) finished for his sixth goal of the year.
In the last minute of regular time, Ross Frame (Welshpool, Powys, United Kingdom) and Sindre Welo (Trondheim, Norway) combined in the box and delivered a pass to Nico Noll (Esens, Niedersachsen, Germany) to score for the winning goal. Noll now has four goals on the season.
"We didn't play very well against Mars Hill," Moodie said, "but we were still able to pick up the win. I think that's important. We're starting to peak at the right time."
Queens beat Mars Hill 2-0 on Oct. 19. The Royals put in their first goal in the 41st minute of action when Yannick Fischbach finished from the top of the box.
Their second goal came in 25 minutes into the second half when Fischbach served a ball in over the back line and put Thiago Andrade in on a 1v1.
Queens is coming off its first conference defeat with a 2-0 loss to Wingate.
"We lost to Wingate," Moodie said, "who are arguably a fantastic side."
The Eagles lost 2-1 to Wingate in double overtime on Sept. 14. Nick Skoda (Knoxville, Tenn.) gave C-N the lead just over the five minute mark.
The Eagles held their lead until the 89th minute of the match when a player went down with an injury. When play resumed, Wingate was rewarded a free kick on which they capitalized to send the game into overtime.
With four minutes remaining in the second overtime, the lights went out on the field while the Bulldogs were in possession. When play started back up, they were rewarded another free kick on which they again capitalized for the golden goal win.
Wingate outshot C-N 18 to 12. Frame led the Eagles in shots having taken four, two of which were on target.
"Queens will be a very difficult game," Moodie said, "but we love to play against the good teams."
Frame currently leads the SAC in points with 33, and assists with nine. He is tied for first in goals with 12 and is ranked third with 55 shots.
Nationally, Frame is sixth in points, fourth in points per game, tied for fourth in goals per game, tied for sixth in assists per game, tied for seventh in assists and tied for eighth in goals.
Senior captain Rumwald Le Guevel (Vannes, France) had 11 saves on the match. Le Guevel currently leads the conference in saves with 64 and a save percentage of .800, tying him for 40th in the nation.
"Both teams are playing to win the conference," Moodie said, "and we're hoping to pick up some recognition regionally in our last three games."
The match can be followed live at www.cneagles.com/live.