GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – For the second straight match, Carson-Newman had a pair of Eagles score individual braces to go along with a freshman scoring a goal. After an 18-day break from action, the Eagles (2-1, 2-1 SAC) returned to action against the Tusculum Pioneers (2-3-1, 2-1-1 SAC) from the confines of Pioneer Field. With tonight's result, the Eagles move into second place for pod number three (C-N, Tusculum, Lincoln Memorial, and Mars Hill) behind LMU who sits at 2-0-1 on the year, including the 2OT over C-N to start the season.
Senior Emilee Futrell (Wilson, N.C.) pushed the Eagles across early in the game as she scored her first 2021 goal in the seventh minute of action. The play was set up by sophomore Addie Henry (Chattanooga, Tenn.) laying a beautiful forward pass to sophomore Makayla Garner (Fort Mill, S.C.) who in return set up Futrell for a shot from right outside the box.
The scoring continued for Carson-Newman in the 28th minute as Henry was on the receiving end of a timely pass from Futrell. Following a few shots on goal and chances at scoring her second in the match, Futrell moved the ball away from goal before finding Henry on the run who finished off an assist and found the back of the net to give Carson-Newman the imposing 2-0 halftime lead. At the halftime break, C-N outshot the Pioneers by a margin of 11-4 while having seven shots fall on goal. Freshman Lilly Ebner (Hohentengen, Germany) held the Pioneers scoreless in the first half, stopping all four shots on goal she faced.
"We picked up where we left off against Mars Hill with the pace of the game and our play. We told our team at half that the game is not over and we have to keep up our toughness," head coach Simon Duffy said. "I'm so proud of this team with all the advertisty they have faced with taking time off and knowing they will face the same opponent in such a quick turnaround."
Once action resumed for the second half, Henry took what the coaches said and applied it immediately as she notched her second goal in the match only two minutes into the second half. After finding a ball get deflected to her feet, Henry proceeded to take a shot from 40 yards out, getting the ball past Mortensen for her second goal of the match and making the lead 3-0 in favor of the Eagles.
Under 20 minutes later, Futrell gained the individual brace with another goal in the 63rd minute. She was fed the ball by freshman Noel Criser (West Yarmouth, Mass.) who set up Futrell with a perfect placement to let the ball go from right inside the box. The ball found the back of the net and the Eagles never looked back after taking a 4-0 lead. With their braces, both Futrell and Henry are now tied for the team lead in shots in 2021 as they have both made 13 shot attempts through three matches.
For the second straight game, @CNWSoccer have a pair of Eagles scoring individual braces.
— Carson-Newman Athletics (@CNathletics) March 23, 2021
This time, @EmileeFutrell adds her 2⃣nd goal
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Freshman Savannah Fields (Johnson City, Tenn.) continued her hot start as an Eagle with her second goal in as many games. After taking the pass from fellow freshman Molly Bukiewicz (Beavercreek, Ohio) and senior Kristina Markfort (Munster, Germany), Fields pushed the ball into the back of the net to make the score 6-0. The play also allowed Bukiewicz to add to her team leading assist total, making it four in the three games so far.
"All of our shot attempts and goals tonight were all we could ask for as a staff. We know the style of play we want to put out every match, and this team is finding its groove at the right time," Duffy said. "We know what lies ahead for us as Tusculum goes to play us at home Thursday and I know our team will be ready for it."
Ebner moves to 2-1 on her Eagles career as the net guardian as she held the Pioneers scoreless and saved seven of the 10 shots Tusculum got off in the entire 90 minutes of action. For the Pioneers, they were forced to use another goalkeeper beyond Cece Mortensen. Freshman Grayson Patterson finished the last 17:05 of action for the Pioneers as she faced a single Eagles shot and making the save.
All three Eagles goal-scorers (Futrell, Henry, and Fields) move into a five-way tie for the team lead in goals as they join senior Lira Mathes (Knoxville, Tenn.) and Garner at two goals so far. Futrell has also increased her team lead in the category of shots on goal after becoming the first Eagle this season to hit double digits with a total of 13 after Monday's match.
This marks the first back-to-back SAC wins for the Eagles since October 2019 when they won three straight over Coker, Mars Hill, and Limestone. The Eagles will now sit as second in the SAC for goals, compiling 12 total over their three games and only behind Lenoir-Rhyne who has tallied 16 total goals in 2021. Under Duffy, the Eagles are now 12-3 on the road and 9-1-1 when playing a SAC foe on the road. The Eagles have gone 1,6 days without a true conference road loss, coming back on October 15, 2016 to Wingate by a final of 1-0 in OT.
"If we can continue playing as we have been in our last two matches, I think this year will be something special and we can work to overcome the first defeat by LMU," Duffy said.
When looking at the SAC after Monday's result, C-N leads the way in assists (10), goals for average (4.00), and have the second most team points (34) which is right behind Lenoir-Rhyne with 41 season points. t points for a SAC club with 34 total points, only trailing the LR Bears who hold 41 season points.
Carson-Newman returns to the pitch of McCown Field on Thursday as they square off against Tusculum for the second time this week. Live stats and video with be provided at cneagles.com.
Be sure to keep up with all things Carson-Newman women's soccer at cneagles.com and via all social media accounts.
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