BREVARD, N.C. - The Brevard College women's soccer team (10-5-4) competes in its fourth postseason in the last five seasons as the Tornados, who garnered the seven-seed in the 2022 USA South Conference Women's Soccer Tournament, head to Buena Vista, Virginia to take on two-seed Southern Virginia University (10-6-1) on Tuesday at 5 p.m. in a first-round matchup.
The winner of Tuesday's contest will take on the victor in the 3-6 matchup between No. 3 Mary Baldwin and No. 6 NC Wesleyan.
The Tornados have surged this season, winning the second-most wins in the program's NCAA era with 10. Brevard claimed wins in three of its last four conference contests to earn the conference's seven seed, meeting an SVU team that the Tornados tied earlier in the season, 1-1, on October 7 at Ives-Lemel Family Field.
Mikayla Zvekan scored a breakaway goal to tie the contest late in the first half on Kiara Porcelli's assist on a long through ball, equalizing the contest just before the halftime intermission. The score would remain level at 1-1 following a scoreless 45 minutes in the second half.
Nicole Arroyo (2-2-2) earned the draw in her sixth collegiate start, making four crucial saves to keep the contest level.
The Knights held the overall shot advantage 11-5 in the match, including a 7-2 mark in the first stanza. Brevard made four saves while Southern Virginia took all four corner kicks in the contest. Three total cautions were issued in the match.
Both sides have remained hot since the early October meeting, with the Knights winning five out of their last six matches heading into play on Tuesday evening.
As a team, the Tornados have scored 40 goals this season, just one goal shy of the NCAA-era record set back in 2018 (41). BC's goal-scoring efforts have been led by junior transfer forward Abby Mayer, who has totaled 11 goals and three assists in 17 matches played. Grace Black, a junior forward from Charleston, South Carolina, has added seven scores, with Taylor Richardson and Emma White each putting five in the back of the net. Mayer ended the 2022 regular season in third place in the USA South for points (25) and goals scored (11).
BC has featured a pair of freshman goalkeepers this season in Nicole Arroyo and Mackenzie Lozano, who have each contributed mightily to BC's defensive efforts. Arroyo has allowed just six goals in 10 matches, making 34 saves with six solo shutouts and a 5-3-2 record, while Lozano has allowed just 11 goals with 32 saves, a 5-2-2 record, and four shutout performances. Overall, Brevard has shut out opponents in 10 of its 19 matches in 2022.
SVU's offense was led by Makinna Winterton, who scored seven goals with five assists, while Morgan Romney added six goals. Alyssa Trueman was the featured goalkeeper during the season, making 60 saves and totaling seven shutouts.
2022 marks the fourth time in the last five years that the Tornados have qualified for postseason play, as Brevard made a trip to the 2018 ECAC Women's Soccer Tournament, the Spring 2021 USA South West Division Tournament, and the 2021 USA South Women's Soccer Tournament.
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-BC-