Eagles and Lions battle to scoreless draw
September 27, 2023

Eagles and Lions battle to scoreless draw

Recording its second consecutive clean sheet, Carson-Newman (3-3-2, 2-2-1) played to a scoreless tie with Mars Hill (3-2-2, 1-2-1) Wednesday evening at Meares Stadium.

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MARS HILL, N.C. – Recording its second consecutive clean sheet, Carson-Newman (3-3-2, 2-2-1) played to a scoreless tie with Mars Hill (3-2-2, 1-2-1) Wednesday evening at Meares Stadium.

After zero shutouts in its first six matches, Carson-Newman has recorded back-to-back here in South Atlantic Conference play.

It's the first time under the direction of Simon Duffy that his team has played to a scoreless tie with an opponent. The last scoreless tie came in the 2016 season, when C-N and Brevard battled to a scoreless draw after two overtime periods. In that match, the Eagles outshot Brevard by a ridiculous 55-2 margin.

"Very frustrating night in front of goal," Carson-Newman head coach Simon Duffy said. "I thought we created some good chances and played some really good football at times but unfortunately didn't have the quality to put the ball in the back of the net when it counted."

The scoreless draw is the first time Mars Hill has not been defeated by Carson-Newman, ending a 15-game winning streak by the Eagles to begin the series.

Mars Hill's Bailey Whitehead-Price took the game's first shot in the sixth minute, but it was easily saved by Berna Kabakci (Zeddam, Netherlands). Three minutes later, Whitehead-Price took her chance again at goal but came up empty.

The Lions continued their early attack. In the 13th minute, Samantha Swinson sent a shot off the right post and out of play.

Alba Delgado (Oviedo, Spain) took C-N's first shot from outside the box that forced a diving save from Lions goalkeeper Camryn Miller to force the ball out.

Two great opportunities came in the 24th minute. Abbie Zander (Baneberry, Tenn.) sent a shot toward the center of goal that Miller knocked away for a corner kick. Off that corner kick, Kendall Garber (Quakertown, PA) sent a shot toward the top of goal that forced a leaping Miller save.

C-N's final shot on target came from off the right foot of Savannah Fields (Johnson City, Tenn.) whose shot toward the top of goal was saved by Miller. After allowing the game's first three shots, C-N recorded the final eight of the opening half, but the match was scoreless.

Fields picked up where she left off in the first half. The midfielder sent shot from long distance off the crossbar, threatening goal for a second time in the match.

There was a total of 51 minutes between Mars Hill shots, recording its next in the 64th minute that Kabakci easily covered up.

Carson-Newman had a great chance in the 74th minute. Off a corner kick, the ball was deflected out toward the top of the box, where Molly Zander (Baneberry, Tenn.) rocketed a shot toward goal that Miller saved. Three minutes later, Delgado tried her hand from well outside the box that was controlled by the keeper Miller.

The Eagles final chance came in the 83rd minute off another Molly Zander shot that was deflected before it reached goal, and the two squads played to a scoreless draw.

C-N outshot Mars Hill 16-4 and 6-3 on goal but could not find the go-ahead goal. Fields led C-N with four shots, while eight others also contributed at least one-shot attempt.

Kabakci made three saves and recorded her first clean sheet of her career. Miller made six saves for the Lions.

Carson-Newman wraps up the month of September on Saturday with a road match against Newberry.

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