The Covenant men's soccer team saw its season come to an end on Saturday night as the Scots fell to N.C. Wesleyan in a penalty shootout, 4-2, following a 1-1 draw in the USA South Tournament championship at Scotland Yard.
It was the first time all year that Covenant (18-2-2) did not win at Scotland Yard. N.C. Wesleyan (16-2-2) earns the USA South's automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament.
The Scots were close to coming away with a win in regulation. Parker Owen gave Covenant a 1-0 lead in the 56th minute with a goal off a free kick from just outside the box. The goal was Owen's third in the USA South Tournament and his eighth of the year.
That lead held for Covenant until the 81st minute. N.C. Wesleyan earned a corner kick and Lucas Menzo's kick was deflected back to him on the left-side of the box. Menzo collected the ball and found the upper corner of the net for his second goal of the year to even the score at 1-1.
Both teams had few chances in the remaining minutes in regulation and through two overtime sessions. Covenant outshot N.C. Wesleyan 3-0 in the extra periods, but was turned away each time by the N.C. Wesleyan defense.
In the shootout, N.C. Wesleyan went 4-for-4, while the Scots missed two chances. N.C. Wesleyan keeper Tobias Borzel, who was named tournament MVP, came up with the title-clinching save for the visiting Battling Bishops.
Covenant had a slim, 15-14, edge in total shots on the night while N.C. Wesleyan held a 10-7 margin in corner kicks. The teams combined for 35 fouls.
Paul Lemay made three saves for the Scots and Borzel made two for N.C. Wesleyan.
Covenant's Jesse Riggs, Josh Brower, Matt Morefield, and Owen were named to the All-Tournament team.
Covenant ends the year with 18 wins, the most since 2002.
The Covenant women's soccer team fell to Maryville, 5-0, in the championship round of the USA South Conference tournament.
It was the Lady Scot's first appearance in the championship round of the tournament.
In the ninth minute, Covenant was on the wrong end of an own goal to give Maryville (15-4) a, 1-0, lead.
The northern Scots added on in the 20th minute as Hannah Clothier scored her seventh goal of the season off a pass from Jenna Clothier off a corner to extend the lead to two.
Maryville tacked on two more goals from Taylor Frizen, her 14th and 15th of the year, to go into halftime with a four-goal lead.
The hosts then tacked on one more in the second half from Shannon Reagan off a Frizen assist in the 70th minute and held on to win their second conference tournament title.
Maryville outshot the southern Scots 17-6 and held an 8-2 advantage in corner kicks.
Kyra Duble, Paige Simons, Addy Cronan, Kailey Burrell, Bethany Caudal, and Lizzy Hightower got one shot each for Covenant. Simons, Caudal, and Hightower were able to put their shots on-frame.
Lucy Sandhoff got the start in goal and went all 90 minutes for Covenant. Sandhoff had five saves in the contest.
Abby Coleman got the start for Maryville and went 85:22 in goal. Coleman stopped both shots she faced while Spencer Ann Mitchell came up with one save in her 4:38 of action.
Duble, Hightower, and Simons found their names on the all-tournament team.
Covenant ends its 2019 campaign at 10-6-3.