SALISBURY, N.C. — The 12th-ranked Catawba College women's soccer team honored its graduating class prior to a tense battle with Carson-Newman on Saturday, ultimately sustaining a 3-2 South Atlantic Conference loss at Frock Field.
The program celebrated seniors Aisley Snell, Erin Bleecker, Natalie Peterson, Rylie Cook, Ali Skinner, Ella Matthews, Irish Miles, Bree Ehmer, and Reese Robinson for their contributions in blue and white.
Cadence Setzer facilitated both Catawba (10-4-2, 7-1-1 SAC) goals, scoring the first with an assist on the second, marking her conference-leading ninth dime of the year. Robinson sparked Senior Day jubilation with her first goal of the season and fourth of her career. Kennedy McGuire chipped in an assist to round out the point scorers. Kaitlyn Johnson led the way in shots with four and was the only Catawba Indian with multiple shots on goal at two. Snell spent the first half in net and made one save before Lauren Zitt played the second half and tallied two stops.
Catawba and Carson-Newman (7-3-6, 4-2-3 SAC) landed level in total shots at 14-14, but the Eagles held a narrow 6-5 lead in on-target deliveries. The blue and white secured ample opportunities at the corner flag with eight corner kicks while limiting Carson-Newman to one attempt. The Eagles were whistled for eight fouls against the Catawba Indians' four, while no cards were issued in the contest.
C-N lifted the match's first shot over the crossbar, then Brynn Calendine struck back with a free kick on frame as Ehmer sent the rebound high. The Eagles took the lead using an Olivia Shannon goal in the ninth minute. Intent on getting even, Catawba produced three corner kick opportunities in a two-minute span midway through the half. The blue and white saw their best chance of the period come from Matthews and off the left post, resulting in another corner kick that the Eagles pushed out.
Catawba went to the corner again 22 seconds into the second half but was turned away as C-N drove into its attacking end and fired three shots, including one that Zitt snagged. Moments later, the Eagles continued to hold possession and earned their payoff when Anna Mata Sanchez upped the score to 2-0. Following a quiet few minutes, the hosts responded with a cross into the box from McGuire that two Catawba Indians passed up before Setzer blasted it to the twine from the doorstep.
The visitors put up another three-shot barrage, two off-target and one to Zitt's mitts, in an attempt to restore the gap. Catawba's seventh corner kick of the matchup was drawn in the 77th minute, setting up a near-side boot from Setzer to find Robinson who leapt and headed in the equalizer.
Johnson sought the go-ahead dart with three shots around the five-minute mark, one forcing a save by the C-N netminder. With two minutes to go, the Eagles went full throttle on an attacking chance and capitalized with another score by Shannon. One final opportunity for Catawba materialized in the form of a corner kick with 24 seconds to play, allowing Johnson to put a shot on goal but Amber Wilkinson halted it to finalize the 3-2 score.
The Catawba Indians close their regular season on Wednesday, Oct. 28, with a home match against Coker. Kickoff at Frock Field is slated for 5 p.m.
