Eagles Earn NCAA Tournament Berth

Nov. 10, 2008

INDIANAPOLIS - The Carson-Newman Eagles received an at-large bid to the NCAA Division Men's Soccer Tournament, the NCAA announced Monday evening.

Carson-Newman (11-4-2) will host Francis Marion (13-4-3) on Wednesday night at McCown Field in Jefferson City. The match begins at 7 p.m.

The C-N/Francis Marion winner will advance to face Tusculum on Friday in Greeneville, Tennessee with a berth in the quarterfinals, to be played on November 22 or 23, on the line.

On the opposite side of C-N's half of the Super Region Two bracket are Lees-McRae, who has an opening round bye, and Limestone of Conference Carolinas, and the Peach Belt Conference's second representative, joining FMU, Lander.

C-N beat the Patriots 5-0 in Jefferson City on September 13 behind two goals from Ben Backstrom.

The Eagles are 1-2 against their regional field, losing 1-0 to both Tusculum and Lees-McRae earlier this season.

Last season Carson-Newman ended Tusculum's season with a 3-1 win in the NCAA Tournament, but dropped its second round match to eventual-national runner-up Lincoln Memorial, 2-1.

All-time, the Eagles are 3-5-1 in the NCAA Tournament.

The national semifinals and finals are December 4 and 6 in Tampa, Fla.