JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – For the first time this season, Carson-Newman (4-5-5, 2-4-3) will battle a ranked foe when #19 Limestone (9-2-2, 6-2-1) invades Mossy Creek Saturday night at 7:30 p.m.
Despite playing a very challenging slate, the match will be the first time the Eagles play a team while they are nationally ranked. Auburn Montgomery, Catawba, Coker, Lee, Lincoln Memorial, Wingate are all teams that Carson-Newman has faced, but all of which were not ranked the week of the match but have been at some point this season.
It will be the fifth straight season that Carson-Newman will play as host to a ranked team. The Eagles have won back-to-back home games against nationally ranked teams. One of those was #11 Limestone who was knocked off 2-0 back on October 30, 2021. That win is the last Carson-Newman home win in the month of October. Under head coach Stephen Lyons, Carson-Newman is 4-5-1 against ranked foes.
Carson-Newman is looking to get back on track after suffering a 1-0 loss to Anderson, in a game that resumed on Wednesday and saw the Trojans hold on. The Eagles are also trying to snap a seven-game October stretch without a win.
C-N sits three points behind eighth place Tusculum in the South Atlantic Conference standings. A win on Saturday would move the Eagles into a tie with the Pioneers, heading into that regular season finale on November 1st.
The Eagles are also seeking revenge on Limestone. Last time the Saints and Eagles met, it ended with Limestone ending Carson-Newman's season on McCown Field 364 days ago. Mark Radoki recorded a hat trick in a 4-1 win for the Saints in the SAC quarterfinals. Carson-Newman leads the all-time series 3-2-2 and is 2-1 when playing Limestone at home.
At the beginning of the month, Limestone was ranked as high as number 4 in the country. Now winding toward the end of the month, it has dropped 15 spots but is still one of the better clubs in the country. The month of October has been shaky after going 7-0-1 in the first two months of the season. October has seen the Saints go 2-2-1 with the losses being shutout losses to Wingate and Lincoln Memorial. The two wins were impressive 5-0 and 3-0 defeats of Catawba and Coker.
The Saints have had so much success because of the goal scoring prowess that has been on display in 13 matches. They have scored 42 goals, more than three per game, a mark that is best in the SAC and seventh best in the country.
The top three points leaders for the Saints are Claudel N'goubou, Mark Radoki and Bilal Camara. N'goubou and Radoki each have eight goals and four assists to lead the Limestone attack. Camara has been just as impressive scoring five goals and adding four assists. 13 other Saints have put the ball in the back of the net this season.
Defensively, the Saints have been just as good. Goalkeeper Henrik Dahl has the best goals against average mark in the SAC at 0.55 and the second highest save percentage at .821. Dahl has seven shutouts this year and won SAC Defensive Player of the Week on October 17th.
Kick off from McCown Field is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. The game can be streamed on FloSports with a subscription. Fans can also follow along to @CN_Eagles on Twitter and Instagram for in-game updates.
