LAURINBURG, N.C.(October 29, 2022) - On Saturday, the No. 18 Truett McConnell University women's soccer team was declared the 2022 Appalachian Athletic Conference Regular Season Champions after besting St. Andrews University 4-0 in their final regular season matchup. The Lady Bears were awarded the honor by remaining perfect in AAC play with a 13 game win streak and an overall conference record of 13-0, along with punching their ticket to the NAIA National Championships. 

"It's not easy to do what these girls have done," said Head Coach David McDowell. "They have been phenomenal, winning 13 out of 13 conference games, & playing a high level of soccer. But it's also the standard these girls have set for themselves, which is ultimately the standard of excellence. Every day, every practice they hold themselves to that standard pushing themselves to get constantly better. What makes this team great is their willingness to strive for excellence & their willingness to make each other better. "

"I also want to make mention of our seniors & graduate student Sydney League. They have won four out of the last five regular season AAC Championships. What they have given to this program over that time is a legacy within itself and I am very grateful for all they have done for this team."

PLAY-BY-PLAY
In the fist two minutes of play, the Lady Bears were hot on offense with a shot on goal by Nadiia Ivanchenko, followed by the first goal of the game off the foot of Ruffa Meger (1-0). TMU continued to take shots, featuring Ivanchenko aggressive in the box, while a ball from Kristin Beasley set Eliska Dvorakova up to score the second goal of the game in the 15th minute (2-0). The Lady Bears could not be stopped as they were resilient on offense and defense, allowing the Knights zero opportunities to take a shot of their own. 

The second half proved even more challenging for the Knights as TMU took 11 shots, along with Sydney League finding the back of the net to put the Lady Bears up by three in the 47th minute. Two more shots on goal and two corner kicks allowed TMU to secure their final goal of the day as a ball from the corner by Dvorakova connected with Marisol Esparza in the box (4-0). 

LEADERS
The Lady Bears ultimately outshot the Knights 19-0, with 11 shots on goal, along with earning five corner kicks.

Dvorakova led the way for the Lady Bears with one goal, one assist and three shots, while Meger and League individually recorded one goal and two shots on goal. Beasley had a single assists and Esparza had a single goal, followed by Ivanchenko who tallied five shots, three on goal. 

UP NEXT
The Lady Bears will compete in their first round of the AAC tournament inside the TMU Soccer Complex on Saturday, November 5. Opponent and time TBD.