Women's Soccer at Coastal Carolina for Big South Tournament

ASHEVILLE, N.C. – The UNC Asheville women's soccer team heads to the South Carolina coast this weekend for the quarterfinals of the Big South Conference Championship. Asheville travels to Coastal Carolina on Saturday for a 5 p.m. match with the second-seeded Chanticleers.

Saturday's tournament match can be seen on the Big South Network for free by going to the multimedia tag at uncabulldogs.com.

The Bulldogs (10-8-1) earned the seventh seed and a spot in the championships with a thrilling 2-1 overtime victory over Gardner-Webb Tuesday evening. Asheville had to have a win to get into the tourney and managed to earn the victory when Kennedy Garrett scored in the 109^th minute. The victory was not easy as the Runnin' Bulldogs tied the match with 12 minutes left in regulation, and then the Bulldogs thought they had won the match twice in overtime but goals were waved off due to a foul and an offside call.

This is Asheville's first appearance in the league tournament since the 2011 season when the eighth-seeded Bulldogs lost to eventual champion Radford on penalty kicks. Michelle Demko's club was picked ninth in the league's preseason poll but ended up enjoying the program's first winning season since the 2008 campaign.

This will be the first ever meeting between the Chanticleers and Bulldogs in the Big South Tournament. Asheville edged CCU 1-0 at Greenwood Field on Oct. 18. Caroline Houser scored the game-winner in the 88^th minute for the Blue & White. The Chanticleers had won the previous eight meetings against the teams.

"Going into the first round of the conference tournament, we are excited to still be playing soccer. Post- season play was certainly one of our team goals this season but we feel like we still have lots of soccer left to play,” stated Demko. “We are at full strength and focused on the task at hand. Coastal Carolina is a good possession team, looking to set play through their midfield. Both teams are similar in style of play and formations. We will need to stay compact and connect our lines to maintain good team shape defensively, this will also give us good numbers around the ball to attack in transition. It should be an exciting game."

The Bulldogs do have some good history at Coastal Carolina Soccer Field in Big South Tournament play as Asheville claimed the 2006 championships there with two wins and a PK victory over Liberty in the title game.

Senior midfielder Amanda Dailor leads the Bulldogs with 18 points on five goals and eight assists. Freshman forward Caroline Houser totaled a team-high six goals, along with four assists. Senior goalkeeper Heather Muller led the conference with 103 saves, including 11 in the game against Coastal.

The winner advances to face either No. 3 seed High Point or No. 6 seed Winthrop in a 7 p.m. semifinal Friday, Nov. 7, at Bryan Park in Greensboro, N.C. Each of the quarterfinal matches and both semifinals will be shown on the Big South Network while the tournament final on Nov. 9 will air on ESPN3.

2014 Big South Women's Soccer Championship
Quarterfinals
Saturday, Nov. 1 - No. 7 UNC Asheville at No. 2 Coastal Carolina, 5 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 2 - No. 6 Winthrop at No. 3 High Point, 2 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 2 - No. 8 Radford at No. 1 Liberty, 2 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 2 - No. 5 Gardner-Webb at No. 4 Campbell, 2 p.m.

Semifinals - Bryan Park, Greensboro, N.C.
Friday, Nov. 7
Radford-Liberty winner vs. Gardner-Webb-Campbell winner, 4:30 p.m.
UNC Asheville-Coastal Carolina winner vs. Winthrop-High Point winner, 7 p.m.

Championship - Bryan Park, Greensboro, N.C.
Sunday, Nov. 9 at 2 p.m. (ESPN3)