Belmont Abbey senior midfielder Laura Shelton broke a 1-1 tie with a beautiful shot from distance with 1:23 left in regulation to stun Limestone, 2-1 this afternoon in the regular season home finale from Alumni Field. Belmont Abbey ups its winning streak to 11 as it improves to 14-2-1 overall and 11-0-0 in Conference Carolinas, while the Saints drop to 13-3-0 overall and 10-1-0 in Conference Carolinas.

The Crusaders finish unbeaten and untied in Conference Carolinas play for the sixth time, joining the 1998, 1999, 2003, 2004 and 2007 teams. Belmont Abbey allowed just three goals in conference play, never yielding more than one in a single match, while posting eight shutouts. The unit outscored its conference opponents 44-3. 

Today's match was for the Conference Carolinas regular season championship and the right to be the top seed and host for the tournament, which begins Monday. The Crusaders will host the eighth seed at Alumni Field Monday afternoon at 2:00.

Belmont Abbey won today by scoring two uanswered goals after the Saints scored first in the sixth minute. Mary Beth Hervig flicked a cross to the center of the box, where Ciera Wall one timed a volley to the far post, just out of the reach of Megan Bowen for a 1-0 Limestone lead. It was just the second goal the Crusaders conceded at Alumni Field all year.

The Saints held their lead for 13 minutes, as Shelton scored the first of her two goals as she touched home the equalizer in the 19th minute. After an Abbey free kick went to the center of the box, Saints goalkeeper Mariette Martinez punched it away, but right to the head of Jillian Lang who pushed it forward to Shelton. With three defenders marking her and in a tight corner on the left post, Shelton shoved the ball just over the line and into the net to pull the Abbey level.

The contest remained deadlocked from there, until the 89th minute until Shelton broke through. Belmont Abbey had increased the pressure for the majority of the second half, as its best chance came late as Lang fired a 30 yard shot that was headed towards the right corner, but Martinez made a tremendous play, diving to her left and just getting a hand on it and pushing it wide for a Crusaders corner kick.

It was a Saints turnover in the 89th minute that led to the winning goal, as Shelton poked the ball away from a defender and dribbbled towards the goal. From 25 yards out she skied a left footed effort over the head of Martinez, dropping the effort over the head of a retreating Martinez for the game winning goal.

Belmont Abbey outshot Limestone 17-6 and attempted five corner kicks to just three for the Saints. Bowen made three saves, with Martinez stopping five shots.