INDIANAPOLIS – After a 2-0 week last week, the 15th-ranked Carson-Newman women's soccer team (14-2, 9-1 SAC) remained in second-place in the NCAA Southeast region rankings released on Wednesday.
Last week, Carson-Newman recorded two shutouts with wins over King (Tenn.) 3-0 and a 2-0 South Atlantic Conference win over Brevard on Saturday. C-N's 4-2 win over Tusculum on Tuesday night was not reflected in this week's regional rankings.
The top six teams make the NCAA Division II Playoffs from the South Atlantic Conference, Peach Belt and Conference Carolinas with each conference champion clinching an automatic qualifying bid. The SAC leads the way with five teams represented in the top-10.
The Columbus State Cougars jumped the Eagles to move into first-place in the region with a 13-2-1 record. The Cougars recorded a 1-0 win over the region's fifth-best team, the North Georgia Nighthawks. The Wingate Bulldogs fell from first to third in the region after a scoreless draw on Saturday against Lenoir-Rhyne on the Bulldogs' home pitch.
The Armstrong State Pirates and North Georgia flipped spots after the Nighthawks' loss to the Cougars. The Pirates picked up two convincing 7-0 results last week with wins at South Carolina – Aiken and at home against Georgia Southwestern. The Nighthawks fell to Columbus State and knocked off Flagler.
The Belmont Abbey Crusaders are the first Conference Carolinas team represented as the Crusaders were placed sixth. Abbey controls its own destiny in the Carolinas with a perfect 10-0 record in league play and a 12-2-1 record on the year.
Three SAC teams were selected seventh, eighth and ninth. The Anderson (S.C.) Trojans are seventh with a 13-3 record; the Trojans are the lone team to knock off Carson-Newman in the conference. Last week, Anderson was ranked sixth. Queens (N.C.) moved up two spots to eighth after wins over Anderson and Mars Hill. Lenoir-Rhyne remained in ninth despite drawing Wingate on Saturday night.
The Limestone Saints fell from eighth to 10th after picking up a win on the week. The Saints lost to the Catawba Indians on Tuesday night, but that loss has yet to be reflected in the regional rankings.
Carson-Newman concludes the regular season on Saturday in the Palmetto State as the Eagles travel to face the Coker Cobras at 2 p.m. With a win, the Eagles would clinch their first outright conference title since 2009.
|
1 |
Columbus St. |
13-2-1 |
13-2-1 |
|
2 |
Carson-Newman |
13-2-0 |
13-2-0 |
|
3 |
Wingate |
12-1-1 |
12-1-1 |
|
4 |
Armstrong |
10-3-2 |
9-3-2 |
|
5 |
North Georgia |
11-2-1 |
11-2-1 |
|
6 |
Belmont Abbey |
12-2-1 |
12-2-1 |
|
7 |
Anderson (SC) |
13-3-0 |
13-3-0 |
|
8 |
Queens (NC) |
9-5-2 |
9-5-2 |
|
9 |
Lenoir-Rhyne |
11-4-1 |
11-4-1 |
|
10 |
Limestone |
13-1-0 |
13-1-0 |
-CN-
