No. 15 Carson-Newman Set to Face Tusculum on Friday in SAC Tournament Semifinals

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. — The 15th-ranked Carson-Newman men’s soccer team will be playing for its second Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Tournament title in school history over the weekend, beginning with the semifinals on Friday.

The top-seeded Eagles (13-3-1) will take on fifth-seeded Tusculum (8-6-2) at 3 p.m. at the Manchester Meadows soccer complex in Rock Hill, S.C. C-N recorded a 2-1 win over the Pioneers in their regular season matchup on Oct. 28.

A victory over Tusculum would put the Eagles in Sunday’s championship match against the winner of Wingate/Mars Hill at 1 p.m.

C-N opened the SAC Tournament on Tuesday with a 3-1 victory over eighth-seeded Catawba behind two goals from sophomore forward Robert Hill (Middlesbrough, England). Hill, who leads the league in goals scored with 16, has tallied 10 markers in his last six matches, including two hat tricks.

The Eagles secured the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament by defeating Newberry, 2-1, in overtime last Saturday, giving them their SAC-record seventh regular season championship.

C-N is also battling for its seventh straight NCAA Tournament appearance. The Eagles are currently fourth in the Division II Southeast Regional rankings, and the top six teams advance to the national tournament.