WINGATE, N.C. – The Carson-Newman (1-3, 0-1 SAC) women's soccer team fell 1-0 to Wingate (1-1-2, 1-0 SAC) in its first conference match of the season after lightning caused the game to be called in the 87th minute.
"We were very unfortunate," Carson-Newman head soccer coach Richard Moodie said. "We were the best team all night. We wanted the last four minutes and they didn't."
The Eagles' defense held the game scoreless until the 32nd minute when Jade Montgomery of Wingate received a pass from Brooke Howell, beat C-N's keeper left-to-right and placed the ball in the back of the net.
"Our back four were unreal," Coach Moodie said. "That's the best game we've played."
Carson-Newman was outshot by the Bulldogs 20 to five but landed 80 percent of its shots on goal compared to Wingate's .45 shots-on-goal percentage.
"We have a lot to work on," Carson-Newman graduate assistant coach Sarah Tompkins said, "but we will get there. It will take time with the amount of new players we have."
Junior Mikayla Gregg (Newport, Tenn.), freshman Casidy Simonis (Pinkerington, Oh.), center back Helen Seedd (Preston, England) and senior captain Sidnee Edwards (Knoxville, Tenn.) released one shot each, all of which were on target.
"They got away for sure," Coach Moodie said. "Mikayla was unreal. Casidy and Hannah [Schoutko] were solid."
Leading the Bulldogs in shots, Montgomery took seven and placed four on frame. Howell put two of her four shots on goal.
"Hammond," Coach Moodie said, "made some great saves." Sophomore keeper Taylor Hammond (Suwanee, Ga.) tallied eight saves.
"The girls played the best we've seen tonight," Tompkins said. "We're getting better every game."
The Eagles return home Wednesday to host King at 5 p.m. The match can be followed live at http://portal.stretchinternet.com/cneagles/.
