JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – A preeminent match for the top of the South Atlantic Conference table is set for Saturday for Carson-Newman when the visiting Wingate Bulldogs roll into Mossy Creek.
"The girls just need to embrace and enjoy it," head coach Simon Duffy said. "Just hoping our players understand the importance and step up. It's going to be a mental and physical battle tomorrow against a very, very good opponent."
With a game on hand against the current leader in the SAC Lenoir-Rhyne, the Eagles (9-4-1, 6-1-1 SAC) control their own destiny and can clinch a fifth-straight regular-season title by winning their final two matches against Wingate and Tusculum. For C-N, its 19 points in the standings can be pushed to 25 by closing out the season with two victories, which are both assessed three points toward the overall conference standings. L-R's 21 points on the table will most likely be extended to 24 points after a match against Coker on Nov. 6, falling just short of the overall tally from the Eagles.
Regardless of any outcomes over the next two games, C-N has secured home-field advantage for the quarterfinals of the SAC conference tournament that is slated for next Saturday, Nov. 9. The conference semifinals and finals – scheduled for Nov. 15 and 17, respectively – will take place at the Mecklenburg County Sportsplex in Matthews, N.C. Currently, C-N is eighth in the Southeast Region Ranking and has another chance to potentially host a home contest in the first and second rounds of the NCAA Tournament.
Duffy's attention lies solely on Saturday's match, however, regardless of the outside noise.
"All we're thinking and focusing on is tomorrow," Duffy said. "If we continue to take these next few games as they come one after the other, hopefully, the regional rankings will favor us."
This is a Wingate team (10-3-1, 6-2 SAC) that finds itself with championship aspirations as well. A win for the Bulldogs would propel them into a tie with Lenoir-Rhyne heading into the final game of the season against Catawba and could potentially clinch a share of the regular-season title.
A team that can play across the full pitch, Wingate sports 37 goals against only 10 allowed on the season. The Bulldogs matched their goals allowed for the season in one contest Wednesday against Salem in a 10-1 thrashing. The team's total goals rank third in the conference. Ten players that have scored two or more goals and three players find themselves in double-digit points for the season.
The goals have come with a plethora of attempts on the offensive attack. Wingate has attempted 329 shots on the season while only allowing 90. Their shots attempted is tied for first in the SAC with Lenoir-Rhyne and is tied for 10th in all of Division II soccer.
Redshirt sophomore forward Kaitlyn Cox leads the Bulldogs in goals with five, tacking on a pair of assists for a total of 12 points. Senior forward Taylor Krakower, another member of the Bulldogs' double-digit point club with a dozen of her own, is tied for second in SAC in assists with seven.
"We are aware of the threat they pose, but we need to be the best form of ourselves," Duffy said.
On the defensive end of the field, Bulldogs have recorded a shutout of the opposition in seven of the team's 14 games. They are one of only four schools in the SAC with seven or more shutouts.
Much of the success in the defensive-third could be attributed to goalie Abbey Frail. A graduate student who has played in all 14 of the team's matches so far, Frail currently has a .67 goals-against average with a 77 percent save percentage. Her GAA ranks second among all qualifying SAC goalkeepers.
The series history against these two sides has favored the Eagles heavily. C-N is 5-0-0 in the past five matches between the two teams and 7-3-0 in the past 10 matches. The last meeting between the two foes saw C-N sending Wingate home packing in the quarterfinals of the SAC tournament with a 4-1 win at Mossy Creek.
Wingate is 3-2-0 in the past five games, stumbling against Tusculum in a 1-0 loss on Oct. 13, followed by a 3-1 defeat at the hands of L-R just six days later on Oct. 19. The Eagles are 3-1-1, coming off a draw against Catawba on Oct. 26.
Saturday's contest is also senior night at McCown Field, as five seniors will be honored during halftime of the men's game that directly follows the conclusion of this contest. Four of the five seniors were members of the 2017 NCAA Tournament Runner-Up squad.
Kickoff from Mossy Creek is set for 5 p.m. with live coverage on the Eagles Sports Network.
