HICKORY, N.C. --- Lenoir-Rhyne's Laura Linehan knocked home the match-winning goal in the final minute of the first overtime period as the Bears edged No. 21 Tusculum College 2-1 Saturday afternoon at the Moretz Sports Athletic Complex in South Atlantic Conference women's soccer action.

Lenoir-Rhyne (14-6, 4-4 SAC) hands the Pioneers (14-4-1, 6-2 SAC) their first loss of the month, while spoiling TC's bid for a SAC Championship. Tusculum will be the No. 2 seed in next week's Food Lion South Atlantic Conference and will host a quarterfinal match. Official seeding and match times will be announced by the league office on Sunday.

A rain that began as a slight mist early in the day turned into a steady downpour near the end of the first half. Both teams played stingy defense leading to a scoreless opening frame.

L-R broke through at the 61:56 mark when sophomore Kaelia Frazier (Cedar Falls, Iowa) gathered in a through ball and blasted home her third goal of the year to give the Bears the 1-0 advantage.

Tusculum answered quickly as freshman forward Tramicka James (Wilson, N.C.) broke free when she received a pass from freshman Kourtney Kavic (Oakville, Ontario, Canada) and put it away to even the score at 1-1

At the 99:07 mark, freshman Elizabeth Hawes (Valdese, N.C.) went down the left side with speed and fed Linehan with a drop ball. Linehan (San Diego, Calif.) took one touch and buried the left foot blast into the far corner from 17 yards out for the 2-1 victory.

L-R senior keeper Katelyn Burwell made six saves in the victory for the Bears. Tusculum freshman Marjaana Kaaresvirta (Turka, Finland) accounted for eight saves in the loss.

- TC -