September 4, 2025

C-N drops season opener at Union

Berna Kabakci reset her career-high in saves, but Carson-Newman (0-1) dropped its season opener to Union (1-0) on Thursday afternoon at Smith Memorial Soccer Complex.

Carson-Newman

0-1-0, 0-0-0

Union (TN)

1-0-0, 0-0-0

Final	1	2	T
Carson-Newman (0-1-0, 0-0-0)	0	0	0
Union (TN) (1-0-0, 0-0-0)	0	1	1

Box Score (PDF)

JACKSON, Tenn. – Berna Kabakci reset her career-high in saves, but Carson-Newman (0-1) dropped its season opener to Union (1-0) on Thursday afternoon at Smith Memorial Soccer Complex.

Berna Kabakci (Zeddam, Netherlands) reset her career-high for saves in a game with 12. Ten of her 12 saves came in the second half. The junior goalkeeper's previous career-high for saves was 10 versus Anderson on Sept 9, 2023.

Carson-Newman wasted no time applying pressure to the Union defense. Elysia Teske (Augusta, Ga.) took the game's first shot in the third minute, missing wide right. Three minutes later, Krista Nielsen fired the next shot but had it blocked.

In the 13th minute, Teske attempted the first shot on goal, but saw her shot toward the center of goal saved by Bulldogs keeper Dehlia Placie.

Union's first chance to score came on a beautiful pass behind the defense. Paige Blackburn ran after the ball, dribbling for 20 yards or more before firing a shot at goal that forced Berna Kabakci (Zeddam, Netherlands) into a diving save to keep the match scoreless.

The Eagles mounted more chances as the first half grew on. Elly Leander (Clinton, Tenn.) had a terrific chance in the 22nd minute. The freshman had her first career shot from the right side of the box saved by Placie.

The Bulldogs took the final shot on target of the first half in the 44th minute. Kabakci made a save on Carly VanGiesen's attempt from top of the box to keep things scoreless at intermission.

C-N held a 9-4 shots advantage in the opening half of play.

Four minutes into the second half, Union would break the scoreless tie. Off an Ella Neely corner kick, Lucia Garcia fired a shot from the back post to make it 1-0 Bulldogs.

Union began creating more of the opportunities, forcing Kabakci to make three saves in the 50th, 53rd and 56th minutes.

Carson-Newman's first shot on goal came from Nielsen in the 61st minute. Her shot from outside the box was saved by second half goalkeeper Anita Lopez Rodriguez.

Sifa Morgan's (Knoxville, Tenn.) first career shot attempt from outside the box was saved by Lopez Rodriguez in the 70th minute.

That would go down as C-N's last shot on target in the match. Unfortunately, C-N managed just two shots in the final 20 minutes, with both missing high.

Kabakci made five more saves in the final 20 minutes of the match, to keep the Eagles within a goal.

Union outshot C-N in the second half 12-8, with 11 of the Bulldogs' shots coming on target. For the game, C-N held a slim 17-16 margin in the shots category, but only five of the 17 shots from the Eagles found the target.

Nielsen and Teske led the Eagles in shots, each taking three. 10 different Eagles attempted a shot in the game.

Carson-Newman is back in action for its home opener on Saturday versus North Greenville. First touch is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. A video stream is available with a subscription to FloSports at cneagles.com/floFC.