Hickory, N.C. – The top-seeded Lenoir-Rhyne Women's Soccer Team (13-3-2) advanced in the 2016 South Atlantic Conference Championship with a 4-1 win over Newberry (7-11-1) Tuesday night in the quarterfinals at the Moretz Sports – Athletic Complex.

Lenoir-Rhyne senior defender Jessica Feronti (Melbourne, Fla.) scored twice as the Bears moved on to face fifth-seeded Wingate (11-5-1) in the conference tournament semifinals on Friday morning at 11:00 a.m., at Manchester Meadows in Rock Hill, S.C.  Wingate upended fourth-seeded Queens by a 1-0 score in its SAC Championship Quarterfinal Round on the road tonight.

Feronti opened the scoring at the 28:32 mark of the first half after finishing off a free kick before Newberry's Erika Linch (Yuba City, Calif.) tied the contest in the 38th minute.

Lenoir-Rhyne broke the contest open with three goals in the second half including the match-winner on an own goal just seven minutes after intermission when a Newberry defender accidently headed the ball into the net.

Feronti blasted a shot from about 30 yards out in the 68th minute for a 3-1 advantage before freshman forward Hannah Van Eerden (Stokesdale, N.C.) rounded out the scoring at the 78:56 mark of the match.

Lenoir-Rhyne, which held an 18-11 advantage in shots taken, defeated Newberry for the second time in four days.  Lenoir-Rhyne junior Andrea Leano (San Diego, Calif.) allowed just one goal to go along with five saves while Newberry's KodiJean Johnson (Greer, S.C.) suffered the loss in goal.

The Bears, ranked sixth in this week's NCAA Division II Southeast Region Poll, increase their winning streak to six matches.