Trojan women fall

By MOC Sports Information
Published in Sports on November 4, 2008 1:46 PM

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MOC Sports Information

BELMONT -- History didn't repeat itself.

Four years ago, Mount Olive College captured the Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference women's soccer tournament crown at Belmont Abbey.

The Crusaders made sure it didn't happen again.

Lindsay Palm delivered the game-winning goal in the 54th minute and Belmont Abbey, the Conference Carolinas regular-season co-champions, turned back Mount Olive College 1-0 on Monday evening.

The Trojans suffered their fourth consecutive one-goal setback and concluded the season 6-14-0 overall.

The teams played a scoreless draw in the opening half. MOC keeper Jenn Sastre robbed Connie Axiotis of an almost certain goal in the 27th minute, diving to her left to stop a shot headed towards inside the left post.

Mount Olive narrowly missed getting on the scoreboard on their only shot of the half. A Belmont Abbey foul in the 34th minute led to a Trojan restart in the Crusaders' half of the field. Cara Paxson's 25-yard shot hooked just wide of the left post.

The Crusaders (16-2-3) used a deflection to break the tie nine minutes into the second half. Sastre deflected a cross by Axiotis, but Palm captured the loose ball in front of the goal and sent a one-touch shot to the back of the net for the 1-0 lead.

Belmont Abbey finished with a 17-1 shot advantage. Sastre recorded five saves for the Trojans.

Mount Olive won the 2004 conference championship on Belmont Abbey's field and advanced to the championship match on the same field a year later.

The loss brings the Trojans' all-time record against Belmont Abbey to 0-17-0, dating back to 1995, the first year of women's soccer at Mount Olive. Monday's contest was the eighth meeting in a row between the two teams decided by one goal, including three in overtime. The Trojans fell to Belmont Abbey 1-0 in overtime in their regular-season meeting on Oct. 25.

Three of Mount Olive's final four losses came against the conference regular season co-champions Belmont Abbey and Queens.

Trojans head coach Matt Hisler was proud of his team's resiliency, despite a rash of injuries this season.

"This team never stopped battling all season long and today was no exception," said Hisler. "You never want to end with a loss, but I'm proud of how the girls battled through adversity."

Mount Olive senior Lyndsay Brennan finished her career with 41 goals and 27 assists for 109 points. She ranked second in school history in goals and points, and tied for third in career assists. Jimenez, who led the Trojans with seven goals this season, concludes her career tied for sixth in career assists with 20.

"The loss is disappointing and it's tough having my playing career come to an end," said Brennan. "This has been an up and down season, but I love these girls and I'll always be a part of Mount Olive women's soccer."