JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Exploding for four goals, Carson-Newman (2-3-1, 1-1) overpowered Emory & Henry for a 4-1-win Wednesday night at McCown field, winning its first South Atlantic Conference match of the season.
"We needed that game," Carson-Newman head coach Simon Duffy said. "We needed a win, we needed to score goals, multiple goals. The only thing that would've capped it off for a great night would've been a clean sheet, but we'll take it. The conference is getting much better. That is an improved Emory & Henry team. Glad we could get the win."
The four-goal effort marks the third time Carson-Newman has scored three goals or more in a game this season. Duffy teams are now 38-0-2 when scoring three goals or more in a match.
In the 16th minute, Emory & Henry had the first good chance as Lucy Donlop sent a shot toward goalkeeper Danielle Lacy (Rochester, IL) who made a great stop.
C-N fired four shots in the first 28 minutes, before breaking through in the 29th minute. Maja Bengtsson (Malung, Sweden) was inside the six-yard box and fired a shot that was deflected out to Abbie Zander (Baneberry, Tenn) who sent a rocket of a shot past the keeper to put the Eagles up 1-0. Zander's goal was her second this year and seventh of her career.
For the first time this season, Carson-Newman scored first. The Eagles are now 41-3-5 under Duffy when scoring the game's first goal.
Carson-Newman added on in the 36th minute, sophomore Felicia Frick (Eschen, Liechtenstein) fired the second of consecutive corner kicks, this one that found the head of Alba Delgado (Oviedo, Spain) who scored her second goal this season to increase the lead to 2-0.
"It was just a great ball," Delgado said. "I just had to jump a little bit and it went straight to my head."
Emory & Henry had a quick answer. Off a free kick in its attacking third, the ball was loose inside the six-yard box where Charlotte Stavis escorted the ball into the net to bring the Wasps back within a goal.
Lacy did her best to keep E&H off the board as the second half started, saving a Maddie Simmons shot in the 47th minute.
C-N had some chances to get an insurance goal in the second half. In the 58th minute, Savannah Fields sent a shot to target that forced an Adriana Rehg save. Kendall Garber (Quakertown, PA) and Krista Nielsen (Saudarkrokur, Iceland) both recorded shots in the next few minutes, but they were also saved.
Carson-Newman finally got its insurance in the 72nd minute. Frick sent a ball toward the top of the box, that birthday girl Cameron Giles (Chattanooga, Tenn.) took an excellent touch on and fired a shot off the top of the cross bar and bounced down inside of the goal for her second goal of the season, to make the score 3-1 Eagles.
The Eagles poured one more goal on the Wasps in the final minutes. Fields sent a perfect ball to Delgado who took one touch and then sent a left-footed shot past Rehg to put the final touches on C-N's first SAC win.
"I think we all have a really good relationship and we've been training so hard," Delgado said. "The bench also helps so much and we are just so connected right now."
Delgado ended the match with a pair of goals, while Frick finished with a pair of assists.
Eleven different Eagles helped contribute to the team's 18 shots compared to the E&H's 7 shots.
Carson-Newman is back in action on Saturday when it pays a visit to Coker for a 4:30 p.m. start with the Cobras.
