The Lenoir-Rhyne Women's Soccer Team is heading to Columbus, GA. for the first round of the 2022 NCAA Tournament. The No. 5 seed Bears will be facing off against the No. 4 Limestone Saints on Friday afternoon on the campus of Columbus State. Kick-off is schedule for 12:00 sharp.
 
This will be the Bears 9^th NCAA Tournament Appearance, all since the 2010 campaign. The Bears are coming off the program's first final four appearance last year. The Bears were the No. 7 seed last year and knocked off SAC Champion Catawba in penalty kicks before defeating Queens 2-0 in the second round. LR then defeated Flager and Florida Tech in PK's to advance to the final four.
 
If the Bears want to make another run it starts Friday against Limestone. These two teams met just seven days ago in the SAC Semifinals where the Saints came away with a 2-1 overtime victory over the Bears.  The Saints struck first in that contest but the Bears found the equalizer by Evan O'Leary in the 77^th minute. However, once overtime started it was all Limestone.  After a few point-blank saves by S.A. Phillips, the Saints found the game-winner in the 96^th minute and held on to advance.  Limestone then went on to beat Wingate for their first SAC Tournament championship.
 
The two goals given up by the Bears in the last game were the first time the Bears defense have given up multiple goals since the September 14^th game against UNC-Pembroke, a span of twelve games. The back row of defense led by Louise Berg and Kate Casey, both First-Team All-SAC Selections, have only allowed fourteen goals on the season in the Bears eighteen games.  
 
To win and advance, the Bears will need to slow down the Limestone attack lead by Tabea Schutt and Andrea Zwinkels. The duo have combined for fourteen of the Saints twenty-seven goals on the season and both Schutt and Zwinkels scored in the semi-finals victory against LR.
 
On the offense side for the Bears, LR will be facing one of the best goal keepers in the SAC in Samantha Aguilar-Hopkins. Aguilar-Hopkins, a second team all-SAC selection this year, has made ten saves in the two games against the Bears this season. The Bears however can attack quickly and with numerous different goal scorers. The Bears have had six different players score in their last four games. Evan O'Leary has been red-hot, scoring four times in the last four games including the lone goal last Friday. The Bears are also hoping to get another weapon back as well in Elin Hansson, the SAC Freshman and Offensive Player of the Year missed the SAC Semi-finals after suffering an injury in the Bears win in the SAC Quarterfinals. Another eye-popping stat this season for the Bears, they have assisted on 33 of their 35 goals this season by far the best percentage in the SAC.
 
Columbus, Georgia has not been to kind to the Bears in the past as this will be the Bears fifth trip to Columbus for the NCAA Tournament. The Bears have lost their last three post-season games there including the last trip in 2016. This was the only other time in program history the Bears were the No. 5 seed as LR fell to Armstrong State 3-2. The Bears will look to snap this streak on Friday and move on to face the winner of North Gerogia/Columbus State on Sunday afternoon. Kick-off is schedule for noon on Friday from Walden Sports Complex.