Lenoir-Rhyne Women’s Soccer Advances to Regional Final with PK Win over Columbus St.

HICKORY, N.C. -- The Lenoir-Rhyne Women's Soccer Team (17-2-1) advanced in penalty kicks, 5-3, over Columbus State (16-4-3) Sunday in the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional Tournament at the Moretz Sports - Athletic Complex. The match was scoreless after two overtimes.

Lenoir-Rhyne, the second seed in the region, will move on to face top-seeded Armstrong Atlantic State (16-2-3) in the Southeast Regional Championship match next Friday in Savannah, Ga.

Armstrong Atlantic State defeated North Georgia, 2-0, in the second round on Sunday as well.

The 13th-ranked Bears will also be making their second straight trip to the Round of 16.

Columbus State, ranked No. 20 in NCAA Division II, held a 23-12 advantage in shots taken but Lenoir-Rhyne junior goalkeeper Caitlin Scruggs (Torrance, Calif.) kept the Cougars without a goal for 110 minutes of action while tallying nine saves. The shutout was also Scruggs' six of the season.

Columbus State's goalkeeper, Mary Mancin (Gainesville, Ga.), also registered the shutout as she stopped four Bear shots on the afternoon.
Lenoir-Rhyne and seventh-ranked Armstrong Atlantic State will be facing each other in the regional championship for the second straight year. In 2010, the Bears shut out the Pirates by a 1-0 score in Tampa, Fla.

- Courtesy Lenoir-Rhyne Media Relations