HICKORY, N.C. - The Lenoir-Rhyne women's soccer team will face off against Francis Marion in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament this weekend. 

The Bears booked a spot in the field thanks to a 1-0 win over Catawba in the SAC Tournament Championship yesterday. Lenoir-Rhyne will play this game in Dahlonega, Georgia, as the North Georgia Nighthawks earned the No. 2 seed and the right to host. 

This will be Lenoir-Rhyne's 13th NCAA Tournament appearance, and the seventh in a row. Last year the Bears won the Southeast Regional title and advanced to the national quarterfinals for the fourth time in program history. This year's Bears squad posts a record of 13-6-1 and are on a hot streak, winning eight of the last nine games. Lenoir-Rhyne and Francis Marion met on September 2nd of this year in a game that ended in a 3-2 victory for the Bears in comeback fashion. 

Kick-off for Friday's contest is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. in Dahlonega, Georgia. Should the Bears win, they would face off against the winner of North Georgia and Lees-McRae on Sunday afternoon.