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Hickory, N.C.-- For the third time this season, the Lenoir-Rhyne Women's Soccer Team will face the Catawba Indians on the pitch with major implications on the line. However Friday's match up is the biggest one of the season so far as the two teams will face off in the Southeast Region Final with the winner moving on to the Elite Eight and a chance to at a Final Four berth on Sunday. 

In the season's first match up on the first day of November, The Bears got two quick goals from Elin Hansson to lock up the SAC Regular Season title as the Bears held on for a 2-1 victory. Then 12 days later, The Bears and Indians tied at two in the SAC Tournament Title game but the Bears connected on all four PK's to take home the title. 

Both teams needs late comebacks in the second round to get to this match up on Friday as Catawba was down 1-0 to North Georgia with just four minutes left when Bree Ehmer connected and found the equalizer in the 86th minute. Ehmer then sent the Indians on to the third round with her goal in the 100th minute as Catawba held on to escape with a 2-1 when over the Nighthawks. 

The Bears season were down to their last :55 seconds against Columbus State when Hansson scored on off a corner kick to tie it up. After a Nicole Auger goal in overtime, the Cougars found their equalizer in the 108th minute to tie up however the Bears advanced with a 4-2 win in PK's. 

Catawba does not want PK's to decide this one because as we mentioned the Bears already defeated the Indians in PK's this season and the last two years Catawba's season has ended in PK's including the first round matchup in 2021 between these teams. In the 2021 NCAA Tournament, The two teams played to a 0-0 tie in the opening round before the Bears advanced 3-1 in PK's. Bears then went on to the Final Four that season before losing to the National Champion Grand Valley State. 

The Region Final this season is being hosted by the South Region. Florida Tech is the highest ranked team left in that Region and will be the host for these games this weekend in Melbourne, Florida. A place the Bears are familiar with as LR played Florida Tech in 2021 in Melbourne and also earlier this season as well. The weather is going to be perfect 77 degrees at kick-off with a 10 to 15 MPH winds. 

This will be the Bears's fourth Regional Final as the Bears are 1-1-1 in program history. In their last appearance in 2021, The Bears and Flager played to a tie as the Bears moved on with a PK victory. On the other hand, This will be Catawba's first Region Final appearance in program history. Catawba comes into this game 7-7-2 all-time in NCAA Tournament games with the two ties coming in the last two seasons. 

As we mentioned in the previous previews, There is no shortage of firepower from these teams as they combined for 9 D2CCA All-Region Selections when they were announced yesterday; lead by Hansson being named Southeast Region Player of the Year. The Bears had five players selected between the First and Second Team while the Indians had four lead by Sydney Jimmo being named to the first team. 

On the other side of the bracket, Florida Tech will host Nova Southeastern. Florida Tech was the No. 3 seed in the South Region defeated No. 6 Rollins and No. 2 Lee to host this weekend as No. 5 seed Nova Southeastern took care of No. 4 West Florida and No. 1 seed Embry-Riddle to advance. The winners of the two contest will face off on Sunday at 3:00 PM with a berth in the final four on the line. 

Kickoff between the Bears and Indians will be at 3:00 PM on Friday. The Bears will looking to advance for their third Elite Eight appearance and second in the last three seasons on Friday.