SAC Tournament Seeding Release
MARS HILL, N.C. – For the 15th consecutive time, Carson-Newman (4-2, 4-2 SAC) has seen victory come over the Mars Hill Lions (0-6, 0-6 SAC) with a thrilling 2-1 overtime win Thursday. The Eagles have not only increased the win streak to 15, but have outscored the Lions 54-8 since Mars Hill last won in 2007.
Senior Emilee Futrell (Wilson, N.C.) was once again the difference maker for C-N down the stretch. On a night where she fired 11 total shots, it was her massive header in the 93rd minute which gave C-N their second OT win in the last three matches (March 25 versus Tusculum). The entire second half saw Futrell and the Eagles push up tempo against the Lions and add to their already impressive shot total.
For the first time in three games, it was freshman Molly Bukiewicz (Beavercreek, Ohio) who set up the game-winner for Futrell with a beautiful assist over the Lions defense. This gives Futrell six goals on the 2021 campaign while Bukiewicz increases her SAC lead in assists with six.
"Very happy to get the win tonight with the team. It was a hard fought game and we are very happy to come out with the win," Futrell said. "It was a great ball through from Addie on the first goal and a great delivery from Molly on the game-winner. Molly has been vital for us with assists and I"m super happy for her to be leading the conference in assists."
After scoring her third brace in 2021, Futrell is now only one goal behind former assistant Jules Herrity for a seventh-place tie in C-N history for career goals. Futrell is now the leader in the SAC with her six goals, which also leads the Eagles as a team.
The scoring all took place in the second half as the first half was more of a defensive battle for momentum. Mars Hill jumped out to an early 1-0 lead after Sanne Martinesen netted the game's first goal in the 53rd minute. This marked the first Lions goal against C-N since 2018 when MHU found the back of the net in the 23rd minute before allowing four unanswered and falling 4-1 from McCown Field.
The Eagles were quick to respond and get one back as Futrell kept her hot streak in 2021 aflame as just 10 minutes of game action later, she rocketed another chance at net and buried the shot in the 63rd minute to knot the game at one apiece.
"Looking forward to the first round of the tournament and excited to see what this team can do," Futrell said. "Whoever we end up playing on Monday, I know this team will be ready for it."
In the first half, the Eagles held Mars Hill without a single shot and drew three fouls on the Lions. Futrell was able to fire off five out of C-N's eight shot attempts. However, for the first time in 2021, Carson-Newman entered the locker room at halftime with a zero on the scoreboard.
"The result tonight was the main thing especially after playing only 48 hours ago," Duffy said. "Happy that the players kept the pressure on all game and finally we got the reward."
The second half also gave sophomore goalkeeper Hope Doyle (Harrison, Ohio) her second amount of game action as she came in for the starter, freshman Lilly Ebner (Hohentengen, Germany). Doyle made one save in her 45 minutes of action while holding off all three Lions shots in the second 45 and earning her first win on the season and in her Eagles career.
Overall, C-N dominated the shot sheet as they outshot Mars Hill 21-3 with 13 of their attempts falling on goal and Mars Hill having two attempts on goal. Mars Hill was forced to make 11 saves on C-N attempts and were able to draw the Eagles offside three separate times. Both teams played a physical style of game as there were a total of 10 fouls called and only one cared awarded, falling to C-N's Kristina Markfort (Munster, Germany).
Since taking over at the helm, Duffy is now 5-0 against Mars Hill with his squad outpacing the Lions 20-3 in all matchups under his direction. All-time, C-N moves to 29-2-1 against Mars Hill and continue their winning ways as they have not seen a Lions win since 2007.
So far in 2021, C-N has the fourth-most shot attempts with 106, push their SAC lead in assists to +4 with 15 total, hold a +11 goal differential (18 goals scored to 7 allowed), and the Eagles are leading the SAC in team points with 51 total (10 more than second-place Lenoir-Rhyne).
The Eagles will head into the SAC Championship Tournament as the #5 seed and will travel to Hickory, N.C. for a first round matchup with the #4 Lenoir-Rhyne Bears on Monday. Throughout the entirety of the 2021 SAC Women's Soccer Tournament, the top eight teams qualify with each round matchup being played from the highest seed's home site.
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