JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Senior Mikayla Gregg (Newport, Tenn.) notched her first-career game-winning goal in the 32nd-minute on Satu as the 24th-ranked Carson-Newman women's soccer team (13-2, 8-1 SAC) picked up a 2-0 South Atlantic Conference win over the Brevard Tornados (4-9-1, 2-8 SAC).
With the scoreless double-overtime draw of Wingate and Lenoir-Rhyne, the Eagles now control their own destiny in pursuit of the program's seventh regular season title. The Bulldogs lead the league by a point but C-N has a game in hand of Wingate.
The Eagles found the back of the net in each half as Gregg scored in the first and freshman Varin Ness (Sogndal, Norway) scored in the 84th-minute.
"Some good moments tonight. It was good to get some fresh legs on the field and see some of our options moving forward," assistant coach Sarah Tompkins said. "I'm proud of each and every one of our girls."s
Gregg took a cross from junior Julianne Herrity (Donegal, Ireland) and dribbled through two defenders before unleashing her shot into the right corner of the net. The score was the senior's second of the season and her 13th of the Newport-native's career. The assist was Herrity's first in 2015.
Carson-Newman outshot Brevard 10-1 in the first half with only two of the Eagles' shots landing on frame.
In the second half, the Eagles attempted 13 shots before scoring in the 84th-minute by way of Ness's head. Combination play set up the header from the freshman as junior Chelsea Jordan (Knoxville, Tenn.) held possession and then found senior Nikki McWilliams (Saintfield, Northern Ireland) making a run down the right sideline. McWilliam's sent a cross into the box that was knocked home by Ness for the 2-0 final score.
C-N outshot the Tornados 26-4 in the contest; the Eagles held an opponent to less than five shots for the first time since facing Mars Hill in 2012. Gregg and McWilliams led Carson-Newman with five shots apiece; fellow senior Lauren Morelock (Abingdon, Va.) had a chance on goal with a header in the final minute of play. Four Brevard players tallied one shot each.
The Eagles finished their home portion of the schedule at 7-1, which is the best finish since going 6-0-1 in 2009.
C-N is second in the SAC with 24 points; Wingate has 25 points but has played one more league match than the Eagles. Brevard remains in a four-way tie for ninth and are on the outside looking in for a berth in the SAC Tournament. A win or draw in either of Carson-Newman's last two matches will result in home-field advantage in the SAC Tournament quarterfinals.
Carson-Newman hits the road for the final two contests of the regular season with the first trip set to Greeneville, Tenn. to face rival Tusculum at 5 p.m. on Tuesday evening.
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