JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn.- Carson-Newman women's soccer (7-2-2, 6-1) scored two second-half goals in a 13-minute stretch to complete a comeback and defeat Newberry (3-7-1, 2-4) 2-1 on Senior day at McCown field.
"It was important for us to respond, after an unfortunate mistake that led to the goal," Carson-Newman head coach Simon Duffy said after the win. "Once again, the girls remained resilient. Great goal from MJ (Park) and that really sparked us and that was the catalyst that got us going. We definitely weren't at our best today, but we found a way to win. Glad we were able to find a way to get the win in the end."
It's the first time this season the Eagles have conceded the first goal but came back to win.
The come from behind victory extends the Eagles win streak to six games. The six game-winning streak is the first since the 2018 season.
The win extends C-N's home unbeaten streak to 12 games, dating back to September of last season.
Both teams had shots on goal in the first few minutes, but goalkeepers Laura Germes and Kalee Opalka made quality saves.
The Eagles had a flurry of shot attempts from the 16th minute to the 27th minutes. A total of six shots were fired toward goal, but C-N came up empty. Graduate student Sanne Martinsen had a pair of opportunities in the 31st minute. She had a header veer wide right and then a shot that hit the crossbar.
The two teams went into the half scoreless, but the Eagles had more of the opportunities outshooting Newberry 13-5.
Newberry pounced on a Carson-Newman mistake to begin the second half. In the 48th minute, The Eagles committed a turnover that led to a Camilla Brew shot into the back of the net to put the Wolves ahead 1-0.
C-N had chances in the 56th and 64th minutes as freshman Felicia Frick and senior Addie Henry fired shots on target but once again Opalka made saves.
The Eagles' relentless attack paid off in the 66th miunte, as Henry found junior MJ Park who dribbled into the box and fired a twisting shot off the gloves of Opalka and into the back of the net to tie the game at 1. It was Park's first goal of the season. She became the twelth different C-N player to score this season.
C-N fired five more shots over the next 10 minutes but could not find a go-ahead goal until the 79th minute. Sophmore Nellie Bryneus found space in the box and sent a shot on target that was saved initially by Opalka, But, the initial save was deflected to the back post where Martinsen was waiting to tap it home to give the Eagles the lead 2-1.
"You know she's (Sanne Martinsen) a good player when she joined us in August it had felt like she had been here for a whole lot longer," Duffy said. "She came in and just clicked with the girls immediately and it's been great. She has scored some important goals for us and is an important part of the team. I'm delighted for Sanne, it was very fitting on a senior day, that a senior pops up and puts it in the back of the net."
The Eagles defense held on in the final 10 minutes to secure win number six in SAC play.
Germes made five saves matching her season and career high. Seven different Eagles had multiple shots in the match.
C-N enters the month of October in 1st place in the South Atlantic Conference standings with 18 points.
Duffy's group returns to the field Wednesday for non-conference match on the road against Bluefield State. The match is currently is slated to begin at 5:00 p.m.
