Late Rallies Send Lenoir-Rhyne, Wingate to SAC Soccer Championship Women’s Final

No. 1 Lenoir-Rhyne 3, No. 4 Catawba 2 (2 OT)

ROCK HILL, S.C. – Top-seeded Lenoir-Rhyne came back from a two-goal deficit in regulation and midfielder Garcelle Alequine chipped in the game-winner in the second overtime period, sending L-R to a 3-2 victory over Catawba and a spot in the women's final of the 2012 Food Lion SAC Soccer Championship.

Lenoir-Rhyne, which went 9-0 in conference play in the regular season, found itself down 2-0 late in the second half after Catawba scored in the 49th minute and again in the 70th minute. But the Bears answered, scoring their first goal in the 78th minute on an Alenquine strike that found the far post.

Lenoir-Rhyne then got the equalizer four minutes later on a penalty kick from defender Hanna Kiebel.

After a scoreless first overtime, Alequine netted the game-winner less than a minute into the second extra period. It was the freshman's eighth goal and second multi-score match of the season.

Catawba's goals came from forward Juliana Conte and defender Anna Toole. The Indians were even with L-R with three shots in the first half, but were out-shot the rest of the way by the Bears, 23-6.

Catawba keeper Bethany Davis made 11 saves, while L-R's Caitlin Scruggs stopped three shots.

Lenoir-Rhyne, which fell in the SAC Championship final last year to Wingate, will be looking for its second tournament title in three years.

[RELATED: SAC Soccer Championship Central]

No. 2 Wingate 1, No. 3 Tusculum 1 (Wingate wins 5-3 on PKs)

ROCK HILL, S.C. – Wingate moved one win away from its second-straight Food Lion SAC Soccer Championship title with a thrilling semifinal win over Tusculum in penalty kicks on Friday afternoon at Manchester Meadows.

Tusculum – the Championship's No. 3 seed – took a 1-0 lead in the 50th minute on a goal from All-SAC forward Tramicka James. The Pioneers held the lead until the 80th minute, when Wingate defender Kelly Moldenhauer – also an All-Conference selection -- netted a penalty kick that ultimately sent the match into overtime.

Second-seeded Wingate outshot Tusculum 3-2 in the overtime periods, but neither team could find the net, leaving penalty kicks to determine the outcome. The Bulldogs then outlasted TC in PKs, 4-3.

WU keeper Miriam Boucher made four saves in the match and added another in PKs. Tusculum's Marissa Williams was equally as impressive in goal, stopping nine shots.

Overall, Wingate outshot Tusculum in the match, 26-12.

The Bulldogs will look to replicate last season's SAC Championship title match victory over Lenoir-Rhyne on Sunday at 1 p.m. L-R won the two teams' prior meeting this season, 4-0.