SPARTANBURG, SC -- Going into the final weekend of play in the Southern Conference the only thing that was certain was that Davidson had garnered the SoCon women’s soccer regular season crown, but after the final weekend of play in the league it is now known which eight teams will be representing their institutions in the SoCon Women’s Soccer Tournament beginning this Thursday at Stone Stadium on the campus of Furman University in Greenville, SC.
Davidson (13-4-2) acquired the No. 1 seed in the tournament with a tremendous conference showing, remaining unscathed throughout the league’s regular season, finishing 9-0-1. The mark in the SoCon left the Wildcats with their first ever undefeated conference season and their most overall wins since 2000.
The fight for the second seed in the tourney came down to the final day of the regular season, as perennial powers UNC Greensboro (10-6, 6-3-1) and Furman (12-5-2, 7-1-2) went into battle at Stone Stadium. The team’s did not disappoint, with neither team acquiescing to the other’s wish of stepping down in regulation, leaving the game squared at 3-3 after 90 minutes. Furman, which was down 3-0 at one point in the contest, scored on a penalty kick in the second overtime to leave its home digs with a 4-3 win and the No. 2 seed in the tournament.
The Spartans’ loss left them with the third seed in the tournament, but the third spot could have been commandeered by the Catamounts of Western Carolina (15-5, 6-4), which fought hard on the last day of SoCon action against Davidson to try and pick up an upset of the league’s top-seeded squad. Western Carolina allowed two late goals to the Wildcats, though, to surrender a 1-0 lead and fall to Davidson and settle for the fourth seed.
The College of Charleston (7-8-2, 5-3-2) made certain that they were the owners of the fifth seed in the women’s tourney with a 5-0 win over Chattanooga (8-9-0, 5-4) on the final day of play in the league, leaving the Mocs with the sixth seed in the tournament. The seventh seed was given to the Wofford Terriers (5-11-3, 4-4-2), who have turned up their play of late as evidenced by their .500 league record.
The eighth seed went to a team in Elon (5-10-3, 3-6-1) that until the final weekend of the season looked like they were going to be on the outside looking in, but thanks to a 2-1 victory over Appalachian State on Friday, October 28 and a final day 0-0, double-overtime tie with Wofford the Phoenix moved on to the tournament thanks to their head-to-win against the Mountaineers since both teams ended their efforts in league play with 10 cumulative points.
The Southern Conference tournament commences at 11 a.m. on Thursday, November 3 when No. 8 Elon takes to the pitch against Davidson. Western Carolina will then face-off against College of Charleston in four-five game at 1:30 p.m. to end the tournament’s first session. The second session will get underway at 5 p.m. when No. 3 UNC Greensboro takes to the field against No. 6 Chattanooga.
Host school and 2004 tourney winner Furman will play the nightcap Thursday against SoCon and proximity rival Wofford at 7:30 p.m.
The semifinals of the SoCon women’s tournament will be played at 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Friday, November 4, with the final kicking off at 1 p.m. on Sunday, November 6.
Tickets for the SoCon Women’s Soccer Tournament at Stone Stadium on the campus of Furman University in Greenville, SC can be purchased in advance by calling 864-294-3517 or on site one hour prior to the start of a session. An adult all-session pass the event is $15, while an adult single-session pass is $5. The cost is $3 per session for students and youth.
Fans that cannot make it to the championship in person can catch all of the action on SoCon.TV for $5.95. One can view all seven matches via video streaming on the league’s web site (www.SoConSports.com).
--SoCon--