SoCon Championship Central
CULLOWHEE, N.C. - Sophomore Lauren Hein scored twice to lead No. 14 UNCG past Elon, 2-0, in the first semifinal of the 2010 Southern Conference Women's Soccer Championship at the Catamount Athletic Complex in Cullowhee, N.C.
The Spartans (18-1-1) advance to face the winner of Friday's second semifinal between Samford and The Citadel, Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. for the tournament title.
"We are excited to advance to the championship," said Spartans' head coach Eddie Radwanski. "That has been our goal all along and it will take another good match to win it on Sunday."
The Spartans started the scoring at the 13:55 mark when Hein headed a cross from Cat Barnekow past Elon goalkeeper Kristen Haney from six yards out. The goal was Hein's sixth of the season.
Elon's best scoring chance of the first half came when Chelsea Stark's 20-yard strike was punched away by Kelsey Kearney in the 18th minute.
The duo of Hein and Barnekow hooked up again in the 63rd minute. UNCG's Morgan Kennedy sent a free kick into the box from near the midfield stripe which Barnekow headed back to an oncoming Hein. The sophomore then fired a point-blank one-timer past Haney to give UNCG a 2-0 advantage.
Stark had another promising scoring opportunity in the 86th minute, but a diving Kelsey Kearney stopped her breakaway attempt to preserve the shutout.
Kearney earned her 11th clean sheet of the season, saving two shots. Haney stopped one shot for the Phoenix.
"I give credit to Elon for playing another good game," said Radwanski "We've had two good matches against them this season. Chris Neal has turned their program into a top four program in the league in a short period of time."
UNCG held a decisive 12-4 advantages in shots as it stretched its school-record win streak to 15 matches.
Elon concludes the season with a 12-8-1 overall record.