NCAA Southeast Regional: Lincoln Memorial 2, AASU 1

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 11-9-07

NCAA Southeast Regional: Lincoln Memorial 2, AASU 1

SAVANNAH, Ga. (November 9) – Fifth-seeded Lincoln Memorial ran its unbeaten streak to eight matches with a 2-1 win over fourth-seeded Armstrong Atlantic State in the first round of the 2007 NCAA DII Southaest Women’s Soccer regional on Friday afternoon in Savannah.

The Lady Railsplitters (15-4-1) advance to face top-seed Tusculum (14-6) on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. in second-round action. The No. 24-ranked Pirates (14-5-1) see their third season of competition come to a close.

In a match featuring two of the top offenses in the nation, Lincoln Memorial struck early with two goals in the match’s first 18 minutes. Juliana Povoa tallied the first goal in the 14th minute, off of a feed from SAC Player of the Year Heloisa de Oliveira, then de Oliveira delivered again in the 18th minute, passing up a shot to instead feed Karina Campos. Campos’ shot put the Railsplitters up, 2-0, which turned out to be all the goals they needed.

The Pirates got back to within one goal in the 36th minute. A deflected shot off of AASU midfielder Kyndal Schaaf went off the hands of LMU goalkeeper Denise de Resende and over the line for a corner kick. Kristin Burton’s corner kick bounced around in the box, before rebounding back out to Burton on the left side. The sophomore’s shot curled inside the far post for her 23rd goal of the season and sent the match into intermission, 2-1.

AASU’s best chance to equalize in the second half came on Jamie Craine’s tester from 28 yards out, which was punched over the crossbar by de Resende in the 72nd minute. AASU keeper Tracey Mitchell made two saves on LMU’s de Oliviera in the second half.

Shots between the two teams – playing each other for the first time in school history – were nearly even as AASU held a slim 24-20 advantage. De Resende made five saves in net for LMU, while Mitchell made six saves for the Pirates. AASU held a 6-4 edge in corner kicks.

LMU and Tusculum meet for the third time this season on Sunday, and meet just a week after their semi-final matchup in the SAC tournament in which the Railsplitters won, 1-0.

- Pirates -