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Back-to-back-to-back: UNCP soccer wins Conference Carolinas Tournament championship again

the robesonian, lumberton, n.c.
·4 min read

Nov. 13—BROWNS SUMMIT — An Ashleigh Harris goal 34 seconds into the match, followed by Abigail Lowry's goal just over two minutes later was enough to hold off a Belmont Abbey second-half rally, as the UNC Pembroke soccer team was crowned Conference Carolinas Tournament champions once again with a 2-1 win over the Crusaders Sunday night in Browns Summit to take the league's automatic qualifier berth in the NCAA Tournament.

Anna Grossheim and Mercy Bell recorded assists for the Black & Gold.

Lowry, Harris, Maria Cancio, Nicole Cook and Freya Lodge Whitham were named to the All-Tournament Team, with Harris taking home Most Outstanding Player honors.

The Braves (12-3-3, 8-1-3 CC) moved to 7-2 in the all-time series against the Crusaders (11-3-4, 4-4-4 CC). The win takes UNCP's unbeaten streak out to 12 games, and the Braves have not tasted defeat since Sept. 19. UNCP is now 7-0 all-time in Conference Carolinas Tournament matches.

At the start of the match, Grossheim played a long ball ahead to Harris, who chested it down and one-touched it to the far post past the diving Crusaders goalkeeper to put the Braves ahead early.

Moments later, Lowry collected a Bell touch that deflected off the goalkeeper and fired a left-footed strike from 23 yards out into the back of the net to make it 2-0 UNCP.

Belmont Abbey's Haley Long played a beautiful cross in the 49th minute to the head of Logan Parry, who redirected it past a diving Chiara Coppin to cut into the deficit.

Seniors Lowry and Harris combined for eight shots, to go along with their goals. Harris scored for the third-straight match, and has now tallied six goals in the last seven games.

Grossheim recorded her 34th career assist, while sophomore Mercy Bell collected her fourth of the season.

Coppin allowed one or fewer goals in a full-time appearance for the 39th time in her career.

The Black & Gold outshot their opponent for the 16th time in 18 matches this season.

All 11 starters played every minute of the Braves' two Conference Carolinas Tournament matches.

Braves to face Catawba in NCAA opener

With a berth locked up after Sunday's victory over Belmont Abbey in the Conference Carolinas Tournament championship, the NCAA made it official on Monday evening when the UNC Pembroke soccer team was among 56 teams selected to participate in the 2023 NCAA Tournament.

The seventh-seeded Braves (12-3-3) will battle second-seeded Catawba (17-2-1) on Thursday in the opening round of action at Catawba's E.B. Frock Field in Salisbury. Third-seeded North Georgia (14-3-3) will go head-to-head with sixth-seeded Wingate (14-4-1) in the other first round match, and the winners will meet on Saturday in the championship match. UNCP and Catawba are scheduled to kick off at 6 p.m., while North Georgia and Wingate will square off in the opeining contest at 3 p.m..

The winner of the four-team bracket in Salisbury will take on the winner of the Lenoir-Rhyne regional that features the top-seeded Bears (15-0-4) against eighth-seeded Carson-Newman (8-7-3), as well as fourth-seeded Columbus State (14-4-1) battling fifth-seeded Flagler (11-4-3)

Friday's first-round matchup will mark UNCP's seventh NCAA Tournament appearance in program history, and the club will climb on the sport's biggest stage for the fourth consecutive season. The Braves made previous trips to the NCAA Tournament in 2008, 2010, 2017, 2019, 2021, and 2022, and bring a 2-6-0 clip into the matchup in Salisbury.

The Black & Gold are appearing in the NCAA postseason for the third-straight year as an automatic bid after capturing the Conference Carolinas Tournament crowns each year since joining the league in 2021.

The Braves are 3-6 all-time against the Indians, as Catawba has won the last four meetings, most recently in 2014. UNCP will be looking for its first win in Salisbury, as Catawba holds a 5-0 all-time record when playing on their home field.