Collective effort drives C-N past Mars Hill
September 24, 2025

Collective effort drives C-N past Mars Hill

For the second time this year, Carson-Newman (4-3, 1-2 SAC) scored three first-half goals to race by Mars Hill (1-4, 0-2 SAC) and collect its first South Atlantic Conference win of the season on Wednesday evening at Meares Stadium.

Box Score (PDF)

MARS HILL, N.C. – For the second time this year, Carson-Newman (4-3, 1-2 SAC) scored three first-half goals to race by Mars Hill (1-4, 0-2 SAC) and collect its first South Atlantic Conference win of the season on Wednesday evening at Meares Stadium.

"Delighted with our performance," Carson-Newman head coach Simon Duffy said. "I think that was our best 90 minutes of the season. Some great goals were scored and then a clean sheet is always important to secure as well."

The victory extends Carson-Newman's current unbeaten streak against the Lions to 20 games, dating all the way back to 2007.

Five different players took part in the five-goal performance. Selina Jud (Wilderswil, Switzerland) recorded her fourth career brace to lead C-N in goals. Felicia Frick (Eschen, Liechtenstein) led Duffy's team in assists with two, while also scoring a PK goal. Annika Fend scored the first goal and assisted on another. And then finally, Elly Leander (Clinton, Tenn.) assisted on Molly Bukiewicz's (Beavercreek, Ohio) team-leading fifth goal of the year.

Carson-Newman controlled things early and often in the match. Good passing and continuous possession led to a pair of corner kicks in just the second minute of the match. Neither corner kick opportunity led to a shot attempt.

The first shot attempt of the match was a header by Malia Kim (Clinton, Tenn.) in the fifth minute.

Six minutes later, C-N would start its scoring barrage. It was able to convert on its third corner kick of the match. Annika Fend sent an in-swinging ball that deflected off a Lions defender and into goal. Fend's goal was her second this year and made it 1-0 Eagles in the 11th minute.

The lead extended just three minutes later. Elly Leander and Molly Bukiewicz connected on a give and go, with Bukiewicz slotting a left-footed shot into the bottom right corner to make it 2-0 C-N 14 minutes into the game.

A Carson-Newman turnover in the defensive third led to Mars Hill's first shot in the 22nd minute. Mia Calderon took it away and had her shot toward the center of goal saved by Berna Kabakci (Zeddam, Netherlands).

A third first half goal came off another corner kick and was designed perfectly. In the 26th minute, Fend and Felicia Frick (Eschen, Liechenstein) connected on a pair of passes, Frick's which went into the center of the box and was headed perfectly by Selina Jud (Wilderswil, Switzerland) to increase the C-N advantage.

The trio of goals in the opening half is the second time this season that Carson-Newman has scored three goals in the first half of a game.

The Eagles were extremely efficient in the opening 45 minutes. Three of their six shots were scored, while five of the six went toward goal. They also had three corner kicks at the break as well.

Carson-Newman would put the game well out of reach with its second-half goals. Frick assisted on a second consecutive goal for C-N, lofting a long pass over the MHU defense for Jud to run after and the senior buried a right-footed shot into goal to extend the advantage to 4-0 in the 67th minute.

C-N's fifth and final goal would come from a penalty kick. A foul on Jud in the penalty area gave Frick the opportunity from the spot. As she always has, the senior midfielder was perfect, going to the right side of goal to beat the keeper. The program's all-time leader in penalty kick goals remains perfect in penalty kicks in her career, now 8 for 8 all-time.

The Eagles took 12 corner kicks, resetting their season-high for the second straight match. It's the most corner kicks taken by a C-N team since taking 12 versus Mars Hill on October 17, 2018.

Carson-Newman had seven of its 13 shots hit the target, seeing just two of them be saved by MHU goalie Kayleigh Palmer.

The defense limited Mars Hill to just two shots, one of which was saved by Kabakci. The Eagles posted their third clean sheet in the victory.

Two different Eagles made their Carson-Newman debut. Audrey Gallagher started and played 64 minutes in her first action with C-N. Meanwhile, freshman goalkeeper Olivia Henry made her collegiate debut, playing the final seven minutes and change in goal.

Carson-Newman concludes its three-game road trip on Saturday evening at Newberry. First touch is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. from Smith Road Complex in Newberry, South Carolina.

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