Rock Hill, S.C. ? The Lenoir-Rhyne University Women?s Soccer Team (14-6-2) advanced to the 2009 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Championship after edging Tusculum College (14-4-3) on penalty kicks, 4-3, at Manchester Meadows Friday.? The sixth-seeded Bears battled the second-seeded Pioneers to a scoreless draw after two overtimes in the semifinals.

Lenoir-Rhyne will face top-seeded Carson-Newman College (17-2-1) in the finals on Sunday beginning at 4 p.m.

The first round of penalty kicks ended in a 3-3 tie.? Then in the first sudden death round,?Elizabeth Hawes (Valdese, N.C.), the 2009 South Atlantic Conference Women's Soccer Player and Freshman Of The Year, scored on the sixth penalty following a save from senior Katelyn Burwell (Carthage, N.C.) to clinch the victory for L-R.

Lenoir-Rhyne held a 20-9 advantage in shots including four shots on goal by Laura Linehan (San Diego, Calif.) but could not score.

Both goalkeepers, Tusculum?s Marjaana Kaaresvirta (Turka, FINLAND) and Lenoir-Rhyne?s Burwell eached picked up the shutout.? Kaaresvirta tallied nine saves while Burwell stopped seven shots.