Tampa, Fla. ? The Lenoir-Rhyne Women?s Soccer Team (19-2-1) defeated No. 11 Armstrong Atlantic State (14-4-2), 1-0, on Friday at Pepin Stadium to capture the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional Crown and earn its first-ever trip to the Elite Eight.? Junior Laura Linehan (San Diego, Calif.) scored her seventh goal of the year to lead the Bears to their seventh straight win.

L-R will play Florida Tech (10-6-4)?at Pepin Stadium in Tampa, Fla., on Sunday at Noon.? Florida Tech?advanced by defeating tournament?host, No. 17 University of Tampa (16-5-2),?on Friday night, 3-2, on penalty kicks.? The match officially ended in a 1-1 tie.

After outshooting Armstrong Atlantic State, 8-3, in the first half, L-R finally got on the board in the 54th minute when junior Mariel Mena (Gainesville, Fla.) served a ball into the box that Linehan finished to give the Bears the 1-0 advantage and provide all the offense they?would need for the win.? Mena was credited with the assist.

L-R edged Armstrong Atlantic in shots by a count of 15-14.? Sophomore Caitlin Scruggs (Torrance, Calif.) earned her ninth shutout of the season by making six saves to pick up the win in goal for the Bears.? Tracey Mitchell (Albany, Ga.) made seven saves despite being saddled with the loss in goal for the Pirates.

The win marks the first time in school history that any L-R athletic?team has advanced to the Elite Eight in NCAA Division II competition.??On Sunday at Noon, the Bears will?do battle with Florida Tech?for?a spot in the 2010 NCAA Division II Women?s Soccer Final Four to be held on December 2 in Louisville, Ky., at Bellarmine University.