BROWNS SUMMIT, N.C. — The Belmont Abbey women's soccer team saw its Conference Carolinas Tournament run come to an end as the Crusaders dropped a heartbreaking 1-0 loss to No. 3 seed Francis Marion in the championship match Sunday at Bryan Park.
Just a few minutes after it appeared Belmont Abbey had the go-ahead goal, the Patriots got the championship winner with 7.8 seconds to go in regulation to clinch the match.
It was the second consecutive year that Belmont Abbey had made it to the Conference Carolinas championship match.
Belmont Abbey closes the season with a 12-4-4 overall record. Francis Marion is 12-2-4 and earns the automatic qualifying bid for the NCAA Tournament.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Both teams were locked in a tight battle early as the Crusader managed three shots in the first half compared to two for the Patriots.
- Reagan Cullen took the opening shot of the match in the fifth minute while Haley Long's shot midway through the first half was one of the better chances Belmont Abbey had in the half.
- Madison Gnolfo took the only shot on goal in with less than two minutes left in the half.
- Brianna Sroka made three saves in the match, all in the second half.
- Long led the Crusaders with two shots on target, both of which came after halftime.
- Cullen took a shot that went off the post with just over six minutes remaining in the match.
- Shortly after that, it appeared that Belmont Abbey had the go-ahead goal but the goal was waved off due to an offside call.
- Francis Marion scored the game-winning goal on a breakaway in the final seconds.
- Belmont Abbey took the only two corner kicks of the match.
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
