Tournament Run Ends as No. 13 Eagles Fall to Cougars 4-1 in Sweet 16

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Three goals scored by the third-ranked Columbus State Cougars in the 20 minutes of play were the difference as the Cougars knocked off the 13^th-ranked Carson-Newman women's soccer team Friday night at McCown Field in the Southeast Region Championship.

The second-seed Cougars (20-2-1) scored the most goals against the top-seeded Eagles (19-3) in over a year to prevail and advance to Sunday's Elite Eight. The team's appearance in the NCAA Tournament was the first since 2009.

"I thought it was an even game up until the 71^st-minute and we got the goal to tie it up. Great team, well-coached. We knew it was going to be a tough opponent. We definitely got off to a good start to the game, first five minutes, and then we had to make some substitutions that we didn't plan on making," coach Richard Moodie said. "I'm proud of the girls. I think if you were to go out, any coach would want to go out in the national tournament, considering where we were last year and everything that we have achieved this year. I think it would be a bit farfetched to think we could have went on and won this region and all this kind of stuff, but I think deep down, we all believed that we were good enough. We had an off day and they were on and so the score line suggests just that.

Carson-Newman had the first scoring opportunity of the contest just 83 seconds into the game. Senior forward Nikki McWilliams (Saintfield, Northern Ireland) made a run down the left side of the pitch, cut into the 18-yard box and beat a Cougar defender. McWilliams took a shot, but her attempt was cleared by the line by a defender.

Columbus State opened the scoring in the 14^th-minute. After a throw-in, the ball pinged around in the box and was knocked into the air. Forward Cassandra Wade was able to head over the C-N back line and behind goalkeeper Jessica Fraiture (Hebron, Ky.) for her ninth-goal of the season and the Cougars led 1-0.

The Eagles outshot the Cougars 8-5 through the end of the first half but Carson-Newman trailed 1-0 at the break.

In the second half, Columbus State held the possession for a majority of the half and C-N was forced to play on the counter-attack. In the 68^th-minute, the Eagles were able to strike on the counter. McWilliams crossed the ball to junior Elissa Lane (Knoxville, Tenn.) who was making a run down the right sideline. Lane made a touch towards the end line and sent a cross into the box that found the foot of freshman Varin Ness (Sogndal, Norway) who took a shot. Ness's shot beat goalkeeper Maylyn Parsons and allowed the Eagles to equalize at 1-1. The goal was the 12^th on the year for Ness and was Lane's fourth assist.

Columbus State responded just four minutes later with a strike from forward Nicole Corcione. Peach Belt Conference Freshman of the Year Olivia Jarrell broke down the C-N defense and passed to an open Corcione in the six-yard box and the PBC's Player of the Year tucked her shot away for the 2-1 lead.

Jarrell added two goals in the final 10 minutes to put the match away with a final score of 4-1.

" We were off and I think the second goal they scored with the little break away when she cuts inside, I mean, everything that could have went wrong went wrong today for us. It's just one of those days and thankfully we haven't had many of them. It's just the third one we have had this year in our third loss on the season," Moodie said. "I kind of hoped that the goal was going to reenergize us, not really reenergize us, but gives us that little belief or energy to give us the thought that we had a chance here. Sadly enough, it didn't and we didn't really see that change or that dynamic where the game shifted. They had just responded less than four minutes later by getting the second goal. We started pushing and put three in the back. At least we went out swinging.

Carson-Newman outshot Columbus State 17-14; each team recorded seven shots in the second half. Junior Julianne Herrity (Donegal, Ireland) led C-N with seven shots while Ness had four attempts. Corcione and Jarrell had four shots each to lead the Cougars.

Parsons allowed one goal and made eight saves to pick up her 20^th win in goal; Fraiture fell to 19-3 on the season by making three saves but conceding four goals.

Carson-Newman's season ends at 19-3 but the Eagles made the best turnaround in South Atlantic Conference history after the program won just three games in 2014. The Eagles' 19 wins on the tied for the second most in school history and fell just short of the 20 win mark set by the 2009 team.

Fraiture ended the season with the most wins by a goalkeeper in school history with 19 and finished with the second-lowest goals against average in a year with an average of 0.86. Ness's 12 goals are a Carson-Newman freshman record. Herrity, the SAC's Player of the Year, finished 2015 with 16 goals, which is tied for 10^th-most by an Eagle in a season.

Carson-Newman is now 3-5 all-time against the Cougars and the Eagles' record falls to 2-3 in postseason play against Columbus State. CSU advances to face Barry in the Elite Eight on Sunday.

"I have so much respect for Carson-Newman and what Coach Richard has done here and beforehand when Phil was here. We have had so many great memories of games and I'm hoping at some point we can rekindle the regular season games, because we used to play," Columbus State coach Jay Entlich said. "But, gosh, everything that Richard has done this year has been remarkable, considering where the team was the past couple of years. My hat goes off to Coach Moodie and his ability to get the program headed in the right direction.