HARTSVILLE, S.C. – The 15th-ranked Carson-Newman women's soccer team (15-2, 10-1 SAC) tallied five goals in the first half of play to shutout the Coker Cobras (4-11, 2-9) 5-0 in each team's final South Atlantic Conference regular season contest Saturday afternoon at the Coker Soccer Complex.
The Eagles scored their five goals in the span of 20 minutes with four different players finding the back of the net.
C-N has set the league benchmark for conference goals in a season, dating back to 2012. The Wingate Bulldogs scored 31 goals in 2014 and with the Eagles' five goals against Coker, C-N owns the record with 34.
With the win, the Eagles tied the conference record for SAC wins in a season with 10, tying Lenoir-Rhyne's output last year. The win also completes the best turnaround in league history as Carson-Newman flipped its 1-10 league record from 2014 to finish 10-1 and league champions in 2015.
"The girls played well today; they were very disciplined on the ball and kept composure throughout the entire game. I am very proud of all their accomplishments this season," assistant coach Sarah Tompkins said.
Carson-Newman tallied two shots in the first 10 minutes of play. After a straight red card was given to Coker's Danielle Goeler, junior Julianne Herrity (Donegal, Ireland) stepped to the penalty spot and converted the Eagles' first PK of the season in the 15th-minute.
Four minutes later, the Eagles struck for their second goal. Senior Nikki McWilliams (Saintfield, Northern Ireland) sent a cross into the box that found the foot of freshman Alex Brandan (Knoxville, Tenn.). The freshman was able to knock the cross into the net for her second-career goal and gave C-N a 2-0 lead 20 minutes into the contest. McWilliams's assist was her second of the year.
In the 24th-minute, freshman Varin Ness (Sogndal, Norway) scored to give Carson-Newman a 3-0 lead. Ness took a pass from fellow freshman Heida Ragney (Akureyri, Iceland) and buried her shot for her 10th-goal of the season.
In the 33rd-minute, junior Megan Peterson (Parrish, Fla.) scored her third goal of the season and her first goal off her foot instead of her head. Peterson took a shot from distance that cleared a crowd in the box and beat Coker goalkeeper Shelby Middleton to put C-N ahead 4-0.
Herrity scored her second goal off the contest 40 seconds after Peterson's tally. The junior took a long shot and placed it at the far post to push the Eagles' advantage to 5-0.
Carson-Newman outshot Coker 12-1 in the first half and the two teams only combined for nine shots in the second stanza. The Eagles outshot the Cobras 19-3. Coker's three shots are the fewest allowed by Carson-Newman on the season.
Herrity led the Eagles with five shots; freshmen Averi Williams (Powell, Tenn.) and Hannah Henry (Signal Mountain, Tenn.) each recorded two attempts.
Freshman goalkeeper Jessica Fraiture did not allow a goal and made one save in 79 minutes of play; sophomore Katie Cottrell (Knoxville, Tenn.) made her second appearance of the season and played 11 minutes.
Carson-Newman now has two 10-goal scorers for the first time since 2010 as McWilliams has scored 14 goals and Ness has tallied 10 times.
Carson-Newman will host instate rival Lincoln Memorial on Tuesday in the SAC Tournament quarterfinals at McCown Field. The Eagles and Railsplitters will kick off at 5 p.m.
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