The Bruins women's soccer team is headed back to the national tournament as the team shutout #2 seeded Toccoa Falls College to capture the 2019 NCCAA DII South Region Championship. This is the fifth straight season the Bruins have won their region championship.
"This has been one of the best teams we've had," Bruins Head Coach Chris Carmichael said. "We've battled through some tough games throughout this season against some very good opponents and it has made us better and going into nationals.
The Bruins and Screaming Eagles met earlier in the season with the Bruins capturing a 4-0 victory over Toccoa Falls at Alumni Staidum on October 8. One month later, the two teams once again took the pitch at Alumni Stadium but this time the region championship was on the line.
From the opening kickoff, the Bruins did a great job of controlling possession and establishing tempo for the game. Jenna Bishop and Kayle Stevenson were able to feed the Bruins attack as they threaded great through ball for shots on goal.
Mikayla Rajcan put the Bruins ahead in the 17th minute as she scored off a rebound to put the team up 1-0. The Bruins went right back on the attack and used good combinations to free up open space for shots.
In the 27th minute, Rajcan scored again for the Bruins as the senior bent a beautiful lofting shot which bounced off the far post and into the back of the net. With a two-goal lead, the Bruins continued to possess well and turned aside any chances for the Screaming Eagles to get back in the game.
With the half coming to a close, Jessica Peterson gave the team an added boost as she netted a goal with two minutes to play to give the team a 3-0 lead at the break. In the first half, the Bruins had scored three goals while holding Toccoa to zero shots.
As the second half began, the Bruins again came out strong with good tempo and possession as they created scoring chances on the Eagles net. It didn't take long for the Bruins to score as Kayle Stevenson buried a shot to make it 4-0.
Toccoa Falls tried to get back into the game, but the Bruins defense continued to intercept the ball and stop any momentum. As the final buzzer sounded, the Bruins players celebrated as the team captured yet another region championship.
"We stayed to our game plan and kept to a high possession rate and I thought we did a great job and created a lot of opportunities," Coach Carmichael said. "We so appreciate the fans for the great spirit they showed tonight. It brought huge lift to our team and we appreciate their support."
Mikayla Rajcan scored a pair of goals for the Bruins while Kayle Stevenson and Jessica Peterson each scored one goal. Jenna Bishop and Hannah Guerrant each picked up an assist on the night.
With the win, the Bruins will advance to the NCCAA DII National Tournament in Kissimmee, Florida. The team will be the #1 seed for the tournament which begins November 22. The Bruins will face #4 Randall University in the semifinal.
