Blackburn's lone goal lifts Eagles past Newberry 1-0

VIDEO: Simon Duffy Interview

VIDEO: Allie-Anne Blackburn Interview

Box Score

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. -- Using a stifling offensive attack that registered 27 shots and 12 shots on goal, the Carson-Newman Eagles defeated the Newberry Wolves 1-0 at McCown Field.

Both the total shots taken (27) and shots on goal (12) are season highs for C-N.

"We controlled it from start to finish," head coach Simon Duffy said. "I would have liked if we were able to get a couple more (goals), absolute hats off to Newberry, they worked their tails off today and prevented us on a few very good opportunities. They worked extremely hard to keep the score the way it was, but I can't fault our effort at the same time.

"I thought we kept a high tempo, intensity was high throughout the game and we had a lot of good minutes from a lot of players."

From the opening kick, C-N (3-2) immediately began an aggressive attack during Saturday evening's match, registering four shots in the first 17 minutes, with two shot opportunities coming off of corner kicks. Meanwhile, Newberry (2-2-1) struggled to find their footing, recording only three shots in the first half. 

The lone goal of the early evening came off the foot of senior forward Allie-Anne Blackburn (Franklin, Tenn.). In the 32nd minute, after checking in a substitute less than a minute prior, Blackburn received a pass from freshman forward Mic Kriebel (Greeneville, Tenn.) and was able to deposit it into the upper-right corner of the net and past Newberry goalie Jayleen Gant.

"I just wanted to get in and create some type of offensive chance for us," Blackburn said. "As soon as I saw Mic got the ball I just took off, and saw it, looked up and there was the goal."

The strike was the first goal of the season for Blackburn and Kriebel's first career assist as an Eagle. Both serving as reserves, the combo of forwards were just two of nine players to come into the match in relief of the starting core.

"That's the kind of impact we're asking from our players coming off of the bench," Duffy said.

With C-N up on the board, the Eagles continued an offensive push that resulted in several scoring chances. Perhaps the best chance came off the head of Emilee Futrell (Wilson, N.C.) in the 30th minute. With yet another set-piece opportunity off of a conceded corner kick, Futrell took a crossed-in pass from senior transfer Delaney Griffin (Franklin, Tenn.) and pinged it off the top crossbar with her noggin, the ball bouncing out of play.

In the second half, the Eagles outshot the Wolves by a 16 to one margin, with the lone chance for Newberry coming in the 74th minute from Daphne Heyaime. 

After a two-game stint of SAC play, the Eagles will quickly dip back to nonconference action against Belmont Abbey at 5 p.m. Wednesday at McCown Field.