9/9/19
(CLEVELAND) – The Truett McConnell University women’s soccer team hosted No. 3 Southeastern University for their season home opener on Saturday evening. The Lady Bears, who are receiving votes in the latest NAIA national top 25, fell to the Fire (6-1), which handed TMU their first loss of the season (3-1, 0-0 AAC).
The last time the two teams met was in the opening round of the 2018 NAIA national championships, at Southeastern, when they were at the time ranked No. 1 in the country.
The Fire got the scoring going in the 27th minute (0-1) and further extended the lead six minutes later (0-2), however, junior Tori Wilson sent the ball flying into the box on a corner kick which found the head of freshman Lauren Bergevine to score TMU’s lone goal (1-2), which was Bergevine’s first collegiate goal. The Lady Bears were only outshot by one throughout the first 45 minutes of play (6-7) but SEU picked up the pace after halftime. One of the most notable shots was when Wilson forced SEU’s keeper to make a diving save on a free kick.
TMU also earned six corner kicks in comparison to the Fire’s two.
Individually, junior Jennifer McCall led three shots while Bergevine took two. Lydia Williams, Lyndsey Darden and Haley Davis all also added a shot apiece. TMU’s starting goalkeeper, Victoria Moore, earned four saves on the day while Hope Foster saved two.
Up next, the Lady Bears will host St. Andrews University on Saturday, Sept. 14, at 12:00 p.m., for their Appalachian Athletic Conference season opener.
