Box Score by Kevin Buczek
MISENHEIMER, N.C.-Freshman Lane Brooks scored her team-high eighth goal but the sixth-seeded Barton College defense was unable to contain a vaunted Falcons offense for a second time this season in losing a 2-1 elimination game to host and third-seeded Pfeiffer University in the 2014 Conference Carolinas Women's Soccer Tournament Tuesday afternoon at NE Lefko Field.
Pfeiffer scored twice in the first half and then held off a surging Lady Bulldogs squad that outshot the Falcons 8-3 in the second half to advance to the semifinals on Friday against the winner of the No. 7 Lees-McRae College at No. 2 Limestone College match that will be played Tuesday night at 7 p.m.
The Falcons are the defending Conference Carolinas Tournament champions and are trying to earn a second straight trip to the NCAA Tournament. Pfeiffer will go into Friday's final four boasting an 11-6-2 overall record.
Barton and Pfeiffer played to a double overtime 0-0 tie in October. The postseason matchup featured the Falcons offense that averages 2.22 goals per game (40th out of 227 NCAA Division II women's soccer programs) against a stingy Lady Bulldogs defense that was only allowing 0.51 goals per game (15th nationally).
Junior forward Aaliyah Jackson set the tone of the match early cracking BC's defense and giving the hosts a quick 1-nil advantage just one minute and 44 seconds into play. Jackson – a two-time All-Conference honoree – converted her eighth goal of the season off a quick Pfeiffer transition. Sophomore Dana Keeran was credited with an assist on the early tally in the second minute.
Pfeiffer doubled up Barton on shots in the first half, 6-3, and it was the Falcons sixth shot of the half off the boot of sophomore midfielder Macy Rutledge that also doubled up the home team's lead at the intermission. Rutledge scored her second goal of 2014 with a low shot to the right corner of the net in the 44th minute. Classmate Jennifer Baity set up the scoring play with a crossing pass to earn the assist.
Barton did take three of the four corner kicks in the first half but was never able to test Pfeiffer freshman goalie Blakeney Blair with a shot on goal. All three of the Lady Bulldogs attempts in the first 45 minutes missed wide including two tries by sophomore Kathryn Smith and a header by junior Emily Futral.
Senior Carson Moore made a pair of saves in the first half for the Royal Blue and White, including a quality stop on a freshman Gretchen Dettlinger breakaway chance in the 40th minute.
Barton shifted the momentum to start the second half taking the first five shot attempts. Brooks fired the first crack high in the 51st minute before the Lady Bulldogs really scared the home crowd in the 55th minute when Blair had to make two consecutive saves, first denying Brooks and then freshman Christina Everett off the rebound. BC kept the assault going, resulting in Brooks finally finding the back twine with 28:17 left in regulation.
Brooks, who took a game-high five shots, scored with an accurate shot from just outside the box to the bottom right corner on an assist by sophomore Grace Fehan. Brooks concludes her rookie season with team-high totals of eight goals, five assists and 21 points.
The Lady Bulldogs added four more shots after pulling within one but two more attempts by Brooks soared high and shots by Futral and senior Kasey Byzewski were saved by Blair.
Blair made four total stops to earn the win in net. Moore had three saves on the other end and finished her remarkable senior season with a 0.58 goals against average and a .866 save percentage.
Barton finished with an 11-9 shot edge in the loss. The Lady Bulldogs, who under the leadership of first-year head coach Todd Clark finished the year at 11-5-2 overall, will look to carry the momentum of a second straight 10-win season into 2015 with a young roster that featured nine underclassmen starting in Tuesday's postseason match.
