JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman women's soccer (9-3-2, 7-2) scored two goals in less than two minutes late in the second half to defeat Lincoln Memorial (1-11, 0-8) 2-0.
"We kind of had a moment early on with the players if it was going to be a setback or if it wasn't going our away, that we would remain relentless and we did," Carson-Newman head coach Simon Duffy said. "Not the worst first half, but from an attacking standpoint, we didn't have any corners. It was two teams trying to figure each other out and they just basically had everything in on this game. It hasn't gone their way this season, but still a very good team and such a rivalry. Delighted we were able to pull it through in the second half."
Carson-Newman completes an unbeaten home regular season with the comeback win. The win extends C-N's home unbeaten streak to thirteen games dating back to last season.
Under Duffy, C-N is now 24-4-1 against the SAC at home and 5-0 this season.
C-N only had two shots on target in the first half of action. The first shot on goal came in the 4th minute as Carina Wust's header was saved by goalkeeper Bente Latenstein.
The Eagles second quality opportunity came in the 13th minute, as sophomore Nellie Bryneus made a run along the left side and and sent a shot that forced Latenstein to make a diving stop. C-N was held without a shot in the final 17 minutes of the first half.
In the second half, C-N maintained all the attack. All nine of the Eagles corners came in the second half of play. C-N's first shot on target to begin the second half came from senior Addie Henry, but Latenstein came up with the save.
In the 63rd minute, Bryneus was back on the attack and fired a shot, but LMU defender Katherine Browning ran in front of goal to stop it from going into the back of the net and cleared it away.
The Eagles stayed relentless with the attack, and it paid off late. The Eagles got a free kick about 30 yards outside the box and made the most of it. Henry sent a quick pass to junior Savannah Fields who fired a shot off the top of the crossbar. The rebound came to graduate student Sanne Martinsen, who touched it on to senior Jente Kuper who booted it home to give the Eagles the lead. The goal was Kuper's fourth this season and seventh career goal.
"It all came from Sanne there," Kuper said. "If she wouldn't have got a touch on that ball, I would not have gotten in the position I was in. Whenever I go up, I get excited and want to score every single time, so I was just excited to hit that ball into the back of the net and get us ahead."
Less than two minutes later, the Eagles struck again. Junior Abbie Zander fired a cross into the box, where graduate student Elena Propst headed the ball home to give C-N a comfortable 2-0 lead. The goal was Propst's first of the season. She is the fourteenth different goal scorer for the Eagles this season.
C-N's defense held strong in the final eight minutes to seal its 7th win in SAC play this season.
The Eagles maintain sole possession of third place in the SAC table and meet 2nd place Catawba on Saturday afternoon.
