VIDEO: Simon Duffy and Savannah Fields Postgame Press Conference
HICKORY, N.C. – In the third meeting of the season between the two sides, #6 Lenoir-Rhyne (16-0-3) used a scoring surge in the second half to take down Carson-Newman (8-8-3) in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, 4-1.
"We knew what to expect coming into the game," head coach Simon Duffy said postgame. "They're a terrific team… Today, we were going to come out, compete, and be the best version of ourselves… I thought we competed really well. They just scored key goals in key moments, almost like daggers."
Throughout most of the first half, the Eagles kept the Bears off the scoreboard with stellar defense on the backline. It was not until the 41st minute when the SAC Offensive Player of the Year, Elin Hansson, found Alexis Cagno, who netted the game's first score.
Despite surrendering the goal, Duffy was pleased with the first-half effort defensively, giving up the lone goal while the Bears tallied 15 shots in the first 45 minutes. Berna Kabakci held her own in goal in the first half, denying the Bears three times.
While shooting only four shots in the first half, the Eagles stayed in the fight thanks to solid execution defensively against an explosive Bears offensive attack.
"We expected LR to come out in a 3-5-2 as opposed to the 3-6-1 that they usually do," Duffy said. "To be able to adjust to that, I'm very happy with how we did it… We talked to our players about defending with pride and a bit of purpose, and we definitely did that."
After the half, Lenoir-Rhyne quickly extended its lead as Hansson earned her second assist of the night, this time laying it off to Nicole Auger, who extended the Bears' lead to two in the 46th minute.
As was the story all night long, the Eagles did not surrender. In the 58th minute, Savannah Fields cut the deficit in half off an assist from Krista Nielsen. The goal was the first of many solid opportunities for the Eagles in the second half of play.
"In this game especially, we were able to create many more chances for ourselves in the final third," Fields said. "That's something we haven't really done against LR in the past, so I think the goal was kind of a shot in the dark, but I'm glad it found the back of the net and it gave us a boost of morale."
Despite making it a 2-1 game, SAC Defensive Player of the Year Ria Acton made her mark on the contest with an assist to Ella Garner, who pushed the Bears lead back to two goals in the 59th minute.
Shooting eight shots in the second half, the Eagles created opportunities down the stretch but couldn't find the back of the net before the Bears delivered the dagger in the 73rd minute off the foot of Aly Ramsey.
Trailing by three goals with less than 20 minutes to play, Duffy saw no quit in his squad, which continued to fight until the final whistle.
"It's wonderful to see as a coach," Duffy said. "Especially against a team as good as LR, you cannot show weakness or back down, or they will go for the jugular… I'm really happy with how we went about it. Despite conceding some goals, we battled really hard."
With the loss, C-N says goodbye to three seniors in All-SAC First Team member Abbie Zander, All-SAC Third Team member Addie Henry, and MJ Park, who did not compete with the Eagles this season. While the on-field contributions have been beneficial, Duffy believes the leadership of the three will be what is missed the most.
"It's hard to put into words," Duffy said. "They're wonderful… Vital parts that have been with us for four years and Addie [Henry] for five years… She leads by example… She's not just a captain wearing the armband. She lives and breathes it every single day."
Despite losing key pieces, Fields and teammate Noel Criser will don the orange and blue for one more season in 2024. With an experienced group departing Mossy Creek, Fields has learned valuable lessons for her final campaign with the Eagles.
"They eat, sleep, and breathe this team," Fields said. "They commit in a way that I try to every day. They're always examples and give their best on and off the field. On the field, they always communicate, give their best, and think about the next best pass. They're people that I can look to on and off the field that are just solid, and I know what to expect from them."
With the win, Lenoir-Rhyne moves on to the second round to face off against Columbus State on Sunday. Duffy and the Eagles will look to recharge to make a push in the 2024 campaign.
