November 10, 2023

C-N unable to halt Bears streak, fall in SAC semifinals

Battling for a spot in the South Atlantic Conference championship game, #6 Lenoir-Rhyne (15-0-3) scored two first-half goals to knock Carson-Newman (8-7-3) out of the SAC tournament Friday afternoon in Matthews, North Carolina.

Carson-Newman

8-7-3, 5-4-2

#6 Lenoir-Rhyne

14-0-3, 11-0-0

Final

Carson-Newman (8-7-3, 5-4-2)

#6 Lenoir-Rhyne (14-0-3, 11-0-0)

MATTHEWS, N.C. – Battling for a spot in the South Atlantic Conference championship game, #6 Lenoir-Rhyne (15-0-3) scored two first-half goals to knock Carson-Newman (8-7-3) out of the SAC tournament Friday afternoon in Matthews, North Carolina.

The win for the Bears keeps their unbeaten season alive and extended the nation's longest active winning streak in DII women's soccer to 12 straight games.

"Not the outcome we were hoping for today," Carson-Newman head coach Simon Duffy said. "But, very proud with how the girls played, especially in the second half. Unsure if this is going to be our last game. We'll have to wait and see on Monday for the NCAA selection show."

#6 Lenoir-Rhyne went right to work offensively in the early minutes, drawing two corner kicks in the first two minutes. The early attack led to SAC player of the year Elin Hansson sending a ball into the box for Neve Duston who dribbled and then sent a shot into the center of goal to put the Bears up 1-0 in the 4th minute. It's the second time C-N had allowed a goal in the first five minutes of a game this season.

Berna Kabakci made a pair of excellent saves in the 16th and 17th minutes. Evan O'Leary had her shot saved by Kabakci diving toward her left. Her second save in the sequence came in a 1v1 battle with Hannson.

LR's attack forward early and often paid off again in the 21st minute. O'Leary crossed a ball into the box that deflected off a Carson-Newman defender and trickled into the back of the net to increase the Bears lead.

The Bears dominated the first half by taking 13 shots to the C-N's zero. The only offensive statistic recorded in the opening half for Carson-Newman was a corner kick that came in the 25th minute.

Carson-Newman started creating chances as the second half began. Krista Nielsen (Saudarkrokur, Iceland) took C-N's first two shots, seeing both miss frame in the 54th minute.

Molly Zander (Baneberry, Tenn) and Savannah Fields (Johnson City, Tenn) both took chances at goal in the 59th minute but S.A Phillips was there stops on C-N's first two shots on goal.

The Eagles final great opportunity came in the 76th minute when an Anita Arnadottir (Alftanes, Iceland) shot was saved by Phillips to maintain the shutout. Despite outshooting #6 Lenoir-Rhyne 8-4 in the second half, C-N was unable to turn those chances into goals and overcome the 2-0 deficit.

Kabakci kept the Eagles within two goals by making four saves in a losing effort. She has made three saves or more in five straight matches. Seven different players took a shot for C-N in the match.

Lenoir-Rhyne managed to get nine corner kicks in the semifinal match, the most Carson-Newman has allowed an opponent to get in a match this season.

Carson-Newman now will turn its attention to the NCAA tournament selection show scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Monday Nov. 13. In the final rankings release on Wednesday, C-N was listed at number eight, the last team in the field.