ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. - The Brevard College women's soccer team (5-3-0, 0-1-0 USA South) fell 3-1 to host N.C. Wesleyan (4-5-0, 1-0-0 USAS) in the USA South Conference opener for both teams on Saturday afternoon in Rocky Mount, North Carolina.
The defeat was just the second in the last seven matches for the Tornados who reeled off a four-game win streak from September 3-15 during the non-conference portion of the season.
Graduate defender Emma White scored the lone goal for Brevard with a finish with just five seconds remaining in regulation. After a foul by the Battling Bishops as time ticked down, White lined up for a free kick from 30 yards out and promptly curled a beautifully placed shot over the goalkeeper's head. It marked the career-high fourth goal of the season for White who has now scored in two consecutive games and in three of the last four matches.
Including White, ten different Tornados fired off shots in the contest with forwards Abby Mayer and Taylor Richardson the only BC players with multiple shot attempts. Nine of BC's 12 shots were shots-on-goal.
Freshman goalkeeper Nicole Arroyo played all 90 minutes in goal, registering seven saves in the loss.
N.C. Wesleyan used two goalkeepers with Anna Yeakey playing the first half and Jordan Fransee the second half to combine for the win. Yeakey recorded three saves, while Fransee earned five stops.
The Battling Bishops opened the scoring with an unassisted goal with less than six minutes elapsed in the contest on a strike by Isabel Neall. Just two minutes later, the home team struck again with a goal by Caitlyn Butler to create a two-goal advantage.
An insurance goal was added in the 17th minute on a goal by Eden Whiteside, off an assist by Kristel Thompson.
Down 3-0, the Tornado defense and Arroyo stifled the N.C. Wesleyan offense for the rest of the afternoon, shutting out the Battling Bishops for the final 73 minutes of the match.
BC however was unable to find the back of the net until the White score in the game's final seconds as N.C. Wesleyan took the conference season-opener.
Brevard will return to action with a weekday, non-conference matchup at Berea College on Tuesday in Berea, Kentucky. USA South Conference competition will continue for the Tornados on Saturday, October 1 at Meredith College in Raleigh, North Carolina.
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-BC-