Unbeaten SoCon slate No. 3 complete; UNCG blanks Elon, 2-0

ELON, N.C. – Lauren Lopez and Katelynn Donovan both scored and Kelsey Kearney logged her ninth shutout of the season as UNC Greensboro completed its third consecutive undefeated Southern Conference slate, blanking Elon, 2-0, in the regular-season finale for both teams.

The top-seeded Spartans (15-4-1, 10-0-1) will host No. 8 seeded Appalachian State in a Southern Conference Tournament quarterfinal match on Sunday at 2 pm. UNCG extended its unbeaten streak to 31 consecutive matches in SoCon regular-season play, last losing on Oct. 30, 2005, at Furman in double overtime.

The Spartans joined the likes of North Carolina, Notre Dame and Florida as teams that have gone through three consecutive unbeaten conference regular seasons. In all, UNCG is the ninth team since 1988 to complete three consecutive regular season conference slates unbeaten.

UNCG took a 1-0 lead midway through the opening half. Leigh Riordon hit a corner to Nicole Danford, who deflected it to Lauren Lopez. Lopez, the hero of Sunday's win over Davidson with a last second goal, knocked this one home for her third tally of the season and a 1-0 Spartan advantage.

The scored that way until the 73rd minute. Senior Katelynn Donovan, a strong candidate for Southern Conference Player of the Year, scored her 12th goal of the season after garnering a loose ball and knocking it home. With 27 points on the season, she has logged 22 of them in UNCG's 11 SoCon matches. The 12 goals this season moves her into a tie for 10th place on UNCG's single-season list.

Kearney furthered her cause for a possible SoCon Freshman of the Year honor with her ninth shutout of the season. The freshman from Durham, N.C., has allowed just three goals in her last 11 matches and is ranked in the Top 30 in the nation in goals against average (0.58) and save percentage (.855).

AGATE

SCORE BY PERIODS
UNCG..1..1..- 2
ELON..0..0..- 0

Scoring: UNCG - Lopez (Riordon, Danford) 20:09; UNCG – Donovan (unassisted) 72:22. Shots: UNCG 13, Elon 6. Saves: UNCG 2 (Kearney 2), Elon 3 (Johnson 1, Little 2). Corner kicks: UNCG 4, Elon 1. Fouls: UNCG 9, Elon 3.

- UNCG -