11/10/2016 | Women’s Soccer

DAHLONEGA, Ga. – The No. 20 University of North Georgia women’s soccer team is set to host the first and second rounds of the 2016 NCAA Division II Women’s Soccer Championship beginning Friday, Nov. 11, at the UNG Soccer Complex.

General admission ticket prices are $8 for adults over 17, $5 for students ages 8-17 and children under seven admitted free. Students of participating schools can pay the student rate by providing valid student identification.

The first round match will feature the region’s sixth-seed Carson Newman, the automatic qualifier out of the South Atlantic Conference, taking on third-seeded Limestone, the automatic qualifier from the Conference Carolinas. The winner of Friday’s 2:00 p.m. match up will face second-seeded North Georgia on Sunday, November 13 at 1:00.

The first 100 UNG students through the gate for North Georgia’s second round match on Sunday will be admitted free as part of a LOYAL BLUE fan loyalty rewards promotion. Members of the #NighthawkNation that bring their blue vuvuzela will receive an addition five bonus points.

The NCAA postseason berth is the fifth in the past six years for head coach Chris Adams‘ program with the Nighthawks reaching the second round in all four previous appearances.

The first-round bye is a program first and will mark the first time in school history that UNG has hosted a NCAA women’s soccer championship event.

The other Southeast region host site includes No. 4-seed Armstrong State (13-4-2) and No. 5-seed Lenoir-Rhyne (13-4-2) in the first round with the winner facing top-seeded and host Columbus State (18-2) on Sunday.

The two advancing teams from the Dahlonega and Columbus Regionals will face off in the Sweet Sixteen on Friday, Nov. 18.

This year the highest seed advancing out of the second round in the South Region will host the third and fourth Rounds of the tournament the following weekend on Nov. 18 and 20.

SCOUTING THE FIELD – DAHLONEGA REGIONAL

Carson-Newman earned their spot in the nationals by taking down three straight opponents in the SAC Tournament to earn the league’s automatic bid. In the league final, the Eagles scored two first half goals against Wingate and held on for a 2-1 win to claim their second straight SAC championship and sixth overall.

The Eagles are 16-3-1 on the season and boast one of the best offensive attacks in the country having scored 73 goals on the season so far. They are led by Lauren Wade and Julianne Herrity who have turned in 20 and 18 goals on the year, respectively.

Limestone, out of the Conference Carolinas, earned the third-seed in the Southeast region by putting together a season that saw them rise to No. 12 in the most recent NSCAA national poll.

The Saints (18-1) took their only loss of the season back on Sept. 7^th at Queens, 2-0, and have won 17 straight since, marking the second-longest win streak in Division II this season.

Limestone won the conference tournament by edging Belmont Abbey 2-1 in the title match.

This marks the Saints’ second tourney appearance, with the previous showing coming last season, when they lost to North Georgia in the first round.

– UNG Athletic Communications –