VIDEO: Stephen Lyons Interview
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. -- A pair of goals within the final 10 minutes for No. 25 Wingate brought top-seeded and No. 14 Carson-Newman's season to a close, falling 2-0 in the South Atlantic Conference Tournament Semifinals on Thursday at McCown Field.
This is the first loss that Carson-Newman (7-2-1) has endured since February 25, snapping a six-match winning streak. It also extends a winless streak against fourth-seeded Wingate (6-1-1) to five-straight matches and pushes the recent string of semifinal appearances without a win to 0-6-1 since 2006, the last time it appeared in the conference championship match.
"We just chatted with the guys there and the effort all season has just been phenomenal," Carson-Newman coach Stephen Lyons said. "Today, I felt they left it all on the pitch. Didn't think we played quite so well in the first half. Still created a good number of chances. Started really bright in the second half – had a good couple of opportunities then kind of, as the game went along, I kind of thought whoever was going to get the first goal would take the advantage obviously. Unfortunately, both teams down to 10 men, Wingate took their opportunity and that ultimately meant the game."
Much like the nine other matches this season, Lyons' group outshot Wingate 12-7, pushing it to 13-straight outings since Oct. 26, 2019 that the team has taken more chances than its opponents. In that span, it has led the shot ledger 222-105 with a 168-61 advantage this season.
Thaylan Silva (São Paulo, Brazil) led the Orange and Blue with five shot attempts, one of those on frame. The only other Eagle to land a shot on goal was SAC Freshman of the Year Theo Hardenby Öhrwall (Stockholm, Sweden), sending out three shots with two on goal.
The Bulldogs kept C-N keeper Bram Kaarsgaren (Den Bosch, The Netherlands) busy in the net despite not being called upon for a save throughout the match. On the other end of the pitch, Wingate's Jens Bergendorff was just as busy, being forced into three saves.
C-N came dangerously close to allowing a goal in the 17th minute after Kaarsgaren got off his line. A play inside to Sore Nygaard set him up for a shot attempt that went just past the right post, keeping the match even.
The Eagles faced their sixth scoreless halftime break on the year, heading into the break with a 5-3 shot advantage, just one of those on frame. They held the Bulldogs without a shot on frame through the opening period.
Three minutes into the second half, Carson-Newman had already tacked on three more shot attempts. The strongest in that sequence came in the 48th minute when Yannick Kranz (Hannover, Germany) received a turnaround pass from Hardenby Öhrwall that he launched from over 20 yards outs, arching just over the upper 90.
Each side was shown a red card in the 55th minute taking Nic Carsh (Newberg, Ore.) and Bendix Staade out of the match after a midfield collision opposite the benches, forcing both teams to play with 10 men the rest of the way.
Wingate broke the stalemate with a Nick Bennett header in the 80th minute. He received a cross inside from Floris van der Bruggen near the penalty spot, that he quickly headed into the back left corner of the net.
It was the first goal a Carson-Newman opponent had scored in 681:22 of gameplay, dating back to a goal in the 28th minute against Lincoln Memorial on February 25.
An attempted clearance near the six-yard box with 10 seconds remaining was captured by Daniel Kuper just shy of the top of the penalty area before firing it to the back of the net.
The goal marked the latest opposition goal scored in regulation since Coker's Adam Kennedy scored in the final second of the 2019 SAC Quarterfinal, handing C-N a 5-1 loss.
Bennett was the highest-shooting Bulldog in the contest, sending out three chances with his only one on goal being the game-winner. Kuper added on two shots with one on frame.
"Just again with the guys there, we were talking about they all bought in this year," Lyons said. "Obviously we're going to add a lot more quality to the squad as well, so it's important that they come in straight away and the new guys are able to learn from them about what we're about, what we're trying to do. We've got some great leaders and I'm confident that will happen."
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