Hickory, N.C.-- The Lenoir-Rhyne Women's Soccer team earned the No 1 seed for the first time as the Bears will open the 2023 NCAA Tournament at home hosting No. 8 seed Carson-Newman from Moretz Sports Athletic Campus on Friday evening. This will be the LR's 5th all-time NCAA Tournament game from Hickory and their first since the 2019 season.
The Bears are 0-1-3 all-time at home in the NCAA Tournament as the Bears did advance in 2011 and 2014 in penalty kicks however LR will be looking for their first win on home soil. On the opposite side of the field will be a familiar foe as the Bears will host Carson-Newman. This will be the third meeting between the teams this season but the first one in Hickory.
Bears defeated the Eagles 3-0 in Jefferson City on October 7th as the Bears got goals from
Elin Hansson,
Evan O'Leary and
Neve Duston in the victory. Duston then scored the Bears first goal last week in the SAC Semifinals as the Bears defeated C-N 2-0 to advance to the SAC Championship. The Bears held Carson-Newman to just one shot in the first three halves this season but the Eagles did have eight shots in the second half of last weeks contest, including three on goal.
Carson-Newman is back in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the 2018 season as the Eagles will make their 12th appearance overall. The Eagles hold an impressive 17-10-1 record all-time in NCAA games including a trip to the 2017 National Championship during Head Coach Simon Duffy's first year.
The Bears are in the NCAA Tournament for the 10th time and the second straight season under Head Coach
Dean Ward. The Bears defeated Limestone 1-0 last year in the first round before falling to host Columbus State 1-0 in the second round. LR holds a 5-7-7 all-time record in the NCAA Tournament.
Speaking of Columbus State, The Cougars will play Flager in the first game of the day at 3:00 PM on Friday in the 4/5 matchup as the winner will play the winner of Bears/Eagles on Sunday at 2:00 PM from Moretz Sports Athletic Campus. Winner of Sunday's contest will advance to the third round on December 1st with a location to be announced at a later date.
LR comes into the match with a 15-0-4 record as the Bears are 1 of 6 teams still unbeaten this season in all of division II but now its NCAA Tournament time records are thrown away as the only thing that matters is win and advance. The Bears will look to defeat the Eagles for the third time this season. The Bears have never defeated an opponent three times in one single season as the Bears will look to make history on Friday and advance to Sunday's second round.
