JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Ahead of Wednesday's matchup verse the Tusculum Pioneers, the Carson-Newman women's soccer team has cracked the top-five for the first time since the 2010 season after the United Soccer Coaches poll placed the Eagles at No. 5 in the nation on Tuesday afternoon.
The team also jumped Flagler College in the regional poll, to claim the top spot in the Southeast Region.
�� look who is in the top-five for the first time since 2010 �� @CNWSoccer pic.twitter.com/BUY8qMksHQ
— C-N Athletics (@CNathletics) October 17, 2017
Coming off a 1-0 victory over the only undefeated team left in the South Atlantic Conference in Wingate, the Eagles (11-0-1, 7-0-1 SAC) look to set a program record for most consecutive games without a loss heading Pioneer territory on Oct. 18.
With the win over the Bulldogs, they tied the record of 12 games which was set back in 2009. The longest winning-streak in program history came in 2015, when the team won 12-consecutive matches.
The Tusculum Pioneers (9-3, 6-1 SAC) currently are tied for third-place in the league standings with Wingate and Queens at 18 points apiece.
Five players have collected at least three goals on the year, and the team reflects a similar resemblance to the Eagles in that the Pioneers back line is one of the better defenses in the conference.
"They're going to be tested as well," Coach Simon Duffy mentioned, after praising his own team's performance over the last few weeks. "Tusculum is a very tough team, but we can match it with our high pace as long as we bring the desire and enthusiasm."
The Eagles go into Pioneer Field looking to close out first of the final three games of the regular season strong, in hopes to claim the SAC regular season title for the third straight season.
"It's just making sure we know they're one of the last teams that are in our way in the process of dictating what the postseason could look like," Duffy added. "We have had some really tough games over the last couple weeks and I thought we did incredibly well in those games, and tomorrow it will continue with the fixture at their place."
Game time in Greeneville, Tennessee is set for a 5:00 p.m. start.
