From Carson-Newman
The members of the Carson-Newman women’s soccer team celebrate after Sunday’s win. In the forefront are (from left): Averi Williams, Alex Brandan, Magda Mosengo and Lauren Wade. (Photo by Adam Greene, Carson-Newman).
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – The No. 2-ranked Carson-Newman women’s soccer team earned a berth in the NCAA Division II national semifinals with a 2-0 victory over West Florida on Sunday afternoon.
Carson Newman (20-0-1) will face UC Colorado Springs on Nov. 30 in Kansas City, Mo., in the semifinals. It marks the third time in the program’s history that the Eagles have advanced to the “Final Four.”
Head coach Simon Duffy said he was “delighted for our girls” and said he was pleased to see his team “grind in the second half, (and) find a way” to earn the win.
Carson Newman last advanced to the national semifinals in 2005 after also doing so in 2004. The Eagles fell to Adelphi 2-1 in 2004 and suffered a 3-2 loss to Seattle Pacific in 2005.
With 20 wins this season, the current Carson-Newman squad has tied the program’s record for most single-season victories. Junior Magda Mosengo, who scored both of Carson-Newman’s goal in Sunday’s win, said she and her teammates hope to maintain their momentum.
“We’re going to Kansas now,” she said. “I feel great, and I just hope I can continue doing what I’m doing and allow my energy to just spill for the team and let them feed off of that.”
Carson Newman goalkeeper Jackie Burns stopped all seven shots West Florida put on frame to record her 11th solo shutout of the season, adding to her program-high 25 in her career.
The teams played to a scoreless tie in the first half. West Florida outshot the Eagles 9-7 and shut down every opportunity from the Eagles side.
“I don’t think we played very well (in the first half) and the players were well aware of that at halftime,” said Duffy. But the Eagles responded after the break, and were “a different team,” Duffy said.
“Two things we were missing in the first half: effort and attitude,” he said. “I think we had that in abundance in the second half.”
Carson Newman’s Magda Mosengo reacts after scoring a goal in the win over West Florida. (Photo by Adam Greene, Carson-Newman).
Mosengo has now scored seven goals in the past three NCAA tournament games for the Eagles.
“You have to put it all out there, and I feel like … I’ve just found the vibe,” Mosengo said. “I guess I’ve got my mojo and I know it’s just going to keep sticking with me.”
The forward out of London, England was given a gift in the 57th by an Argonauts defender who attempted to play the ball back to her goalkeeper.
Mosengo sprinted to the ball and made a touch around a sliding Burkhart, using her left foot to give the Eagles the 1-0 advantage.
Carson Newman put the exclamation point on the victory when junior Alex Brandan sent a beautiful cross from the corner of the 18-yard box to an awaiting Mosengo, who headed it home.
Mosengo now has 15 goals on the season, ranking second to teammate Lauren Wade. Her seven-game winning goals are tied for a program record with Wade, Julianne Herrity (2015) and Trenna Howell (2009).
