ROCK HILL, S.C. --- The Lenoir-Rhyne University women's soccer Team (14-6-2) advanced to the 2009 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Championship as the No. 6 seed Bears edged second-seeded Tusculum College on penalty kicks, 4-3, at Manchester Meadows Friday night. Lenoir-Rhyne and Tusculum battled to a scoreless draw after two overtimes.

Lenoir-Rhyne will face top-seeded Carson-Newman College (17-2-1) in the finals on Sunday beginning at 4 p.m. Tusculum (14-4-3) will now await word of a possible at-large berth to the NCAA Division II Tournament. The postseason field will be announced later this weekend.

The first round of penalty kicks ended in a 3-3 tie before Elizabeth Hawes hit the fourth penalty shot in the second round that proved to be the match-winner.

Lenoir-Rhyne held a 20-9 advantage in shots, but neither team could find the back of the net.

Both goalkeepers, Tusculum's Marjaana Kaaresvirta and Lenoir-Rhyne's Katelyn Burwell, picked up the shutouts. Kaaresvirta tallied nine saves, while Burwell stopped seven shots.

- TC -