DAHLONEGA, Ga. — Led by an incredible effort from senior defender Jessica Allen, the second-seeded University of North Georgia women's soccer team scored three goals in the final 15 minutes of play to come from behind and defeat No. 6-seed Carson-Newman, 4-3, Sunday afternoon at the UNG Soccer Complex. The victory advances UNG to the NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen for the first time in school history with a record of 15-2-3.
 
Carson-Newman struck first in the 16th minute with a ball headed in by Heida Ragney off a Lauren Wade corner kick.
 
Rachel VanHorn evened the score in the 19th stealing the ball away from an Eagles defender at the top of the box, working around the goalkeeper who had come off her line and shooting into an open net to equal the score, 1-1.
 
The game went to the halftime break 2-1 following another Carson-Newman goal from Magda Mosengo that was rocketed from ten yards out coming off a quick pass from Alex Brandan leaving an opportunity from just 10 yards out.
 
The Eagles came out of the break fighting to strengthen their one goal lead, and they did just that in the 53rd minute with a goal from Brandan coming from a failed clearance off of a rare free kick awarded to the Eagles from inside the box near the goal line.
 
Looking to save their season, the Nighthawks found the spark to start the epic comeback off the head of senior Jessica Allen, as the defender used a header off a perfectly placed Taylor Wagnon corner kick to pull the match back within one goal in the 75th minute.
 
A free kick from 35 yards out gave UNG another opportunity in the 82nd minute as Wagnon once again found Allen near the far post with the header giving North Georgia the equalizer, 3-3.
 
Nearing the final minute of play it appeared that the match might be destined for overtime but just before the one-minute warning, the VanHorn sisters connected to with Renee finding Rachel on a through ball placed at the top of the box with Rachel using a beautiful chip shot over the head of the Carson-Newman goalkeeper, Jacqueline Burns, to find the back of the net and give the Nighthawks their first lead of the match in the 89th minute.
 
The UNG defense made the score stand not allowing the Eagles to get off a shot in the final minute of play.
 
NOTES
- The victory is the first in school history for UNG in the second round of the NCAA Division II Tournament. North Georgia was previously 0-4 in second round matches.
 
- This is the second straight year the Nighthawks have erased a two goal deficit by scoring three goals in the second half to win in regulation, accomplishing the same feat in the regular season last year against Lenoir-Rhyne.
 
- Improving to 15-2-3, the Nighthawks have won 15 or more games in the five of the last six seasons under the direction of head coach Chris Adams.
 
- The Nighthawks improve to 3-1 all-time against the Eagles, the last meeting between the two teams being a 8-2 North Georgia victory in 2012.
 
- Today's match marked the first career multiple-goal match for senior Jessica Allen scoring off two headers in the 75th and 82nd.
 
- With her pair of tallies, Rachel VanHorn completed her eighth game of the season with two or more goals scored in addition to expanding her UNG single season goal record to 21.
 
NEXT UP
The Nighthawks will travel to Miami Shores, Florida on Friday, Nov. 18 to take on Southeast Region No. 1 and fifth-ranked Columbus State in the third round of the NCAA Division II Women's Soccer Tournament. Kickoff time has not yet been announced. The winner of the UNG-CSU match will face the winner of Barry-West Florida in the Elite Eight on Sunday, Nov. 20.