VIDEO: Richard Moodie Interview
VIDEO: Jackie Burns Interview
VIDEO: Highlights
ROCK HILL, S.C. – Jacqueline Burns (Cookstown, Northern Ireland) broke the SAC record for clean sheets in a season with her 13th this year and the Carson-Newman women's soccer team erased the Anderson (S.C.) Trojans, 5-0, in the South Atlantic Conference Tournament semifinals at Manchester Meadows in Rock Hill, S.C.
With this win, the Eagles move on to the tournament final on Sunday afternoon where they will face the Wingate Bulldogs, as C-N attempts to earn its second straight SAC championship.
The Eagles had the day's first chance in the 23rd minute off a set piece, when Heida Ragney (Akurenyi, Iceland) sent a free kick into the 18-yard box for Julianne Herrity (Donegal, Ireland), but an offside call ended the chance. Just minutes later, Lauren Wade (Coleraine, Northern Ireland) tried to break the ice with a shot from 25 yards out, but it was high. Anderson's first chance came on a corner in the 30th minute, but the Eagle defense was on point with a clearance.
The day's first score came in the 38th minute on an C-N corner. Varin Ness (Sogndal, Norway) sent the ball into the box where it found Herrity's foot and the senior tapped it just over the line. The Eagles 1-0 lead held into halftime.
In the second half, it didn't take long for Carson-Newman to increase their lead as they took advantage of another corner. Wade's cross found Ragney's head and she got the ball to Averi Williams (Powell, Tenn.), who converted it into her fourth score of the season.
After another 20 minutes of scoreless soccer, the Eagles bought insurance in the 65th minute. A give-and-go between Holly Talbut-Smith (Crawley, England) and Elissa Lane (Knoxville, Tenn) opened up Lane for cross into the box from the right side. Magda Mosengo (London, England) was in perfect position to finish for a 3-0 lead. Less than eight minutes later, a deflection off a free kick brought the ball to the feet of Wade, who beat keeper Abby Helm with a left-footed shot for her 20th goal of 2016. Gabrielle Gianeselli (Knoxville, Tenn.) capped the scoring in the 85th minute, tallying her third score of the season with an assist to Alex Brandan (Knoxville, Tenn.).
Defensively, the Eagles limited the Trojans to just two shots on goals during the match and both chances were saved by Burns. The Eagles keeper earned her record 13th clean sheet of the season, which breaks the SAC record for shutouts in a year. Burns and her teammates haven't given up a goal in five games.
The Eagles and the Bulldogs will meet in the SAC title game for the second consecutive season when they play on Sunday at 1 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on thesac.com and live stats will also be available.
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