Week 12
vs. Mount Olive
Date: Nov. 22
Kickoff: 3:00 p.m.
Location: Hickory, N.C.
Stadium: Moretz Athletic Complex
Series: UNG leads, 2-0
Last Meeting: UNG 7, UMO 0 (2012)
Game Coverage: Live Stats | Live Video
Game Preview: The University of North Georgia women's soccer team opens NCAA Tournament play on the road in Hickory, North Carolina as they battle sixth-seeded Mount Olive Friday afternoon.
Follow Live: Links, courtesy of Lenoir-Rhyne, are available above. Fans can also follow the action through Twitter by following the women's soccer team (@UNGWSOC).
Rankings: North Georgia sits at No. 18, the highest ranking of the year for UNG. Flagler is also in the poll, holding at No. 3. The Nighthawks are seeded No. 3 in the southeast region behind No. 1 Flagler and No. 2 Lenoir-Rhyne. Lincoln Memorial and UNC Pembroke rounded out the top five seeds
Last Time Out: The Nighthawks tied Clayton State, 1-1, in the Peach Belt Conference semifinals but failed to advance, falling 5-4 in the penalty kick shootout
Mount Olive: Mount Olive is 14-0-3 on the year, winning the Conference Carolinas regular season and tournament championships. Making their first ever NCAA Tournament, the Trojans have rarely played from behind this season. Jaelyn Brown leads UMO in goals scored with 10 and Sara Berglund leads the Trojans with 12 assists. Taylor Lewis will likely be between the posts, having given up just six goals all year while saving 74 shots. North Georgia is 2-0 against Mount Olive all-time, but the two teams haven't met since 2012. The Nighthawks have outscored UMO, 9-1, in the two-game series
Postseason Awards: Taylor Malasek was named the PBC Elite 15 Winner for women's soccer, marking the first time a women's soccer player at UNG has won the award. Modeled after the NCAA Elite 90, the Elite 15 Award is given at each of the 15 PBC championships to the student-athlete competing in the championship with the highest over cumulative GPA. North Georgia had five players named All-Conference, including three first-teamers. Taylor Malasek (forward), Maysoon El-Shami (midfielder) and Olivia Dumphy (defender) were each named to the first team. Katey Derkay (forward) and Morgan Ramby (goalkeeper) were named to the second team.
Tournament History: This is the sixth time that UNG has made the Southeast Regional tournament and has never lost their opening round match.
NCAA Regional Outlook: The other match in this half of the regional sees No. 2 Lenoir-Rhyne take on No. 7 Wingate. Top-seeded Flagler is hosting Lincoln Memorial, UNC Pembroke and Catawba.
