November 4, 2025

Must-win regular season finale for C-N versus Tusculum

For the third consecutive season, Carson-Newman’s (2-9-3, 2-6-1 SAC) regular season finale is a must-win at McCown Field to qualify for the South Atlantic Conference Tournament. Eagles play host to Tusculum (5-8-1, 2-6-1) Wednesday evening at 5:00 p.m.

Tusculum

5-9-1, 2-7-1

Carson-Newman

3-9-3, 3-6-1

Final	1	2	T
Tusculum (5-9-1, 2-7-1)	1	0	1
Carson-Newman (3-9-3, 3-6-1)	1	1	2

VIDEO: Stephen Lyons Interview

C-N Match Notes (PDF)

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – For the third consecutive season, Carson-Newman's (2-9-3, 2-6-1 SAC) regular season finale is a must-win at McCown Field to qualify for the South Atlantic Conference Tournament. Eagles play host to Tusculum (5-8-1, 2-6-1) Wednesday evening at 5:00 p.m.

"You really hope it helps (playing in a must-win game for the third year in a row)," Carson-Newman head coach Stephen Lyons said. "The guys know the rivalry and the history. We know we have to take care of business ourselves to get the three points and hope some results go our way as well."

Entering the final day of the regular season, Carson-Newman is tied with Tusculum for ninth place with seven points. But, both teams are within range to finish as high as sixth place. Neither side can qualify for postseason play with a tie. Overall, including C-N and TU, five teams are battling for the three spots.

Along with a win, Carson-Newman needs Newberry to lose to #5 Anderson and that would secure a spot in the top eight. This scenario works in C-N's favor the most because it wins the three-way tiebreaker with Mars Hill and Newberry if those two results occur. Other results would determine that exact seed. A Newberry tie would also help the Eagles. C-N would need Wingate to tie or lose to Coker. This would put C-N, Mars Hill and Wingate in a three-way tiebreak for seventh place. The Eagles don't win the initial tiebreak, but a head to head win over WU means C-N would still make the postseason and be the eight seed. Newberry earning point and a Wingate win eliminates the Eagles from the postseason.

Of C-N's 14 games this season, 11 of them have been decided by one goal or less. The Eagles are just 2-6-3 in such games this season. Five of the team's six losses in conference action are one goal losses.

Half of Mitchell Honcoop's goals in 2025 are penalty kick goals. The Dutchmen is a perfect three for three in penalty kicks this season. Two of the three are in SAC play, including his most recent one with 25 seconds left in the opening half at Wingate. Honcoop is now tied with eight other Eagles for the most PK goals in a single-season in program history. He is up to five career penalty kick goals, tied for the second-most in program history.

Carson-Newman will play into the month of November for the third straight season. Under Stephen Lyons, the Eagles are 1-7-3 in November games with their lone win being a 3-1 victory over Tusculum at home in 2023.

C-N trails the all-time series 15-20-6 but has won four of the past six meetings. The hoe team has won the past four meetings in the series and the winner of five of the past six matches has scored at least three goals.

The Pioneers are in the same boat as C-N in a must scenario with their seven points in the league this season. TU is 5-8-1 overall and has conference wins over Catawba and Lincoln Memorial both in the month of October. It is just one of two teams with only one draw this season.

Similar to C-N, Tusculum has been in many close games and on the wrong side more than not. TU has dropped three of its past four games and they are all one-goal losses. Six of its eight losses this season are by one goal. Ten of its 14 games have been decided by one goal or less and TU is 3-6-1 in those matches.

Second-year head coach Kyle Hughes' team ranks eighth in the SAC in goals scored with 16. Ten of those goals have come in SAC play. Mason Clark and Hugo Le Floch have been the two most effective attacking players for the Pioneers in 2025. Clark is one of just three players with multiple goals and his five lead the way. He has scored four times over the past five matches. Le Floch is also a multi-goal scorer with two, but has the second-most assists in the SAC with five this season. He has assists in two of his past three games and assisted on four of TU's 10 goals in league play.

Noe Delmotte has been Tusculum's starting goalkeeper in all 14 matches this season. The sophomore keeper has five shutouts this season but only two in conference play. Playing all but 44 minutes this year, he has a 1.48 goals against average and has the fifth-most saves in the league with 42 this season. His .677 save percentage is eighth in the SAC.

First touch is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. from McCown Field. Coverage on the Eagle Sports Network is available with a subscription to FloSports at cneagles.com/floMsoc.