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 Whitney Weinraub, Charlotte |
Nov. 10, 2008
The 18th-ranked Charlotte 49ers women's soccer team (17-3-1), who are the Atlantic 10 regular-season and tournament champs for the second straight year, will face SEC Tournament Champion Tennessee (10-10-2) at 7:30pm in the first round of NCAA Tournament at the University of North Carolina, Friday, November 14. North Carolina plays Western Carolina in the other first round game in Chapel Hill. The winners of two first round games will play each other at North Carolina, Sunday, November 16. The 49ers are making their second straight and the fourth overall NCAA Tournament appearance in the program's history after making the NCAA's in 1998, 2002 and 2007.
"I had a feeling before the selection show that we were going to play Tennessee in Chapel Hill in the first round of the NCAA Tournament," said Charlotte coach Jon Lipsitz, who just recorded his 100th career victory in the 49ers 1-0 win over Dayton in the A-10 Championship final. "We are very excited about being in the NCAA Tournament. Tennessee has a tremendous program. Their coach Angela Kelly will have them ready to play. We made a goal at the beginning of the season that not only do we want to return to the NCAA Tournament but we want to take the next step as a program and advance in the Tournament. We are excited to be in the NCAA's and we plan to do our best this weekend."
This game will mark the second-ever meeting between Charlotte and Tennessee. Tennessee won the previous meeting between the two teams, 3-0, September 13, 2003. Last season, the 49ers played their first round NCAA Tournament game against Clemson at the University of Tennessee. Interesting side note in regards to the Charlotte-Tennessee first round matchup, Lipsitz and Tennessee Coach Angela Kelly are both graduates of the University of North Carolina.
The 49ers enter the NCAA Tournament on fire having won a school-record 14 straight games after recording a perfect 11-0 A-10 regular-season record and victories over Saint Louis and Dayton this past weekend to capture their second straight A-10 Tournament title. During that stretch, the 49ers offense led by A-10 Midfielder of the Year Hailey Beam and A-10 Offensive Player of the Year Whitney Weinraub and All-Atlantic 10 performers Oni Bernard, Sam Huecker and Jonna Handra have outscored their opposition, 52-6.
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The 49ers defense led by All-Atlantic 10 selections defenders Whitney Bryant and Megan Minnix and A-10 All-Championship team selection goalkeeper Lauren Brown have recorded 10 shutouts and limited 12 foes to a goal or less during Charlotte's school-record 14-game winning streak.
This season, Charlotte has won a school-record 17 games and for the 12th time in the program's 15-year history, the 49ers have posted double-figure wins.
In the 49ers last NCAA Tournament appearance, Charlotte lost to Clemson, 4-2, after leading 2-0 at the half, November 16, 2007. In the 2002 NCAA Tournament, Charlotte lost to James Madison, 1-0, November 15. In 1998, the 49ers posted a 2-0 opening round win over South Carolina before falling to soccer power North Carolina on the road in the second round.
