JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – In a rematch from a thrilling, 1-0 overtime upset last season against nonconference opponent Limestone, C-N will travel to Gaffney, S.C. to face its third Conference Carolinas opponent of the season.
In 2018, with Limestone ranked No. 13 and C-N ranked No. 20 at the time, an overtime own goal on the side of Limestone provided the Eagles (8-4, 6-1 South Atlantic Conference this season) with an upset win at McCown Field. C-N's attempted cross from Holly Talbot-Smith flew into the right side of the 18-yard box in the 100th minute, deflected off a Saints defender and fell into the back of the net to give the Eagles their sixth-consecutive win at home against non-conference opponents at the time.
This year, however, it will be the Eagles' turn to go on the road for a 338-mile, six-hour roundtrip beginning on Wednesday morning.
"It's difficult being a midweek fixture on the road, away, and not in conference, it's tough," Eagles coach Simon Duffy said. "But hopefully our girls (respond). We talked about mental toughness this week on the road to Limestone, on the road to Catawba, so it's a big week for us."
Limestone is currently 7-5 on the season and is 6-2 in Conference Carolinas play. They have scored 17 goals on the season against 16 allowed. The Saints are currently third in the overall standings in their conference behind Mount Olive and North Greenville. This is the last season for the Saints in the Carolinas before joining the SAC in 2020.
Against four common opponents (Lenoir-Rhyne, Belmont Abbey, North Greenville and Queens), Limestone is a combined 1-3 while C-N is 2-2. Both teams fell in defeat to Lenoir-Rhyne, while Limestone defeated North Greenville by a 3-0 final at home to C-N's 1-0 defeat on the road. For C-N, its wins over Queens and Belmont Abbey resulted in two losses for the Saints.
In three of the past four contests, the Eagles have scored three goals, all of which resulted in wins. C-N has scored three goals a total of five times on the season and will hope to sustain a higher quality of offensive pressure in the final quarter of the regular season.
"Scoring goals is such a tough thing to do," Duffy said. "You can be in all the right places doing all the right things and for whatever reason, a keeper playing very good on the night, or whatever fate may have. We've done well the last few occasions out, the girls have put the ball in the back of the net and hoping to gain momentum from our game tomorrow."
Sophomore goalie Taylin Jean has started all 12 games in net for the Saints, recording six shutouts. Jean's 1.37 goals-against average ranks in seventh in Conference Carolinas.
Senior defense Emma Hickson is the leading goal scorer for the Saints with six goals, adding a pair of assists for her tally as well. She leads her team in points with 14. Hickson, a native of Blackpool, England, didn't find the back of the net last year in seven starts for the Saints, but now holds second place on her team in shots registered with 26, 11 of which have been on goal.
The Eagles enjoyed the weekend off for the first time since the season began in September. They'll now play four games in the next 14 days before the SAC tournament.
Kickoff at Saints Field in Gaffney, S.C. is set for 5 p.m.
