November 4, 2008

Jefferson City, Tenn. -  The Carson-Newman women's soccer team defeated Mars Hill 5-2 in the first round of the South Atlantic Conference Tournament Tuesday night. The Lady Eagles improve to 14-5. With the loss, the Lions end the season at 8-10-3.

The first goal came from the Lions in the ninth minute of the game. Abbie Hoard (Kalamazoo, Mich.) found the back of the net on an unassisted shot from just outside twenty-eight yards. The ball dropped just over the hands of Carson-Newman keeper Lauren MacKenzie (Barrie, Ontario).

The Eagles responded just four minutes later when freshman Trenna Howell (Oak Ridge, Tenn.) put the ball in the back of the net. Howell was assisted by senior Katie Perea (Cumming, Ga.). Howell struck again three minutes after with a one touch finish from a cross served by sophomore Lydia Wright (Nashville, Tenn.) to make the score 2-1.

In the 31st minute, sophomore Morgan Gruenenfelder (Sweetwater, Tenn.) placed the ball above Mars Hill keeper Becca Sellars (Loveland, Ohio) in the top left hand corner of the goal. Gruenenfelder was assisted by Howell.

With ten minutes left in the half, Perea shot the ball into the left corner of the goal from a corner kick served on the ground by Wright to make the score at half 4-1. Carson-Newman outshot Mars Hill 13-4 in the first half.

In the 59th minute, Mars Hill struck on a free kick caused by a Carson-Newman foul. Brittany Downs (Orlando, Fla.) placed the ball in the back of the Lady Eagle net, making the score 4-2 in favor of C-N.

Most of the second half was a battle between the two teams until Carson-Newman's Howell found the back of the net for the third time of the game to make the final score 5-2.

Boxscore...

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