Women’s Soccer closes regular season with 4-0 win over Johnson (Tenn.)

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (October 30, 2021) – The Milligan University women's soccer team scored three second half goals and defeated Johnson (Tenn.) 4-0 in the Buffs' regular season finale on Saturday.

Milligan women's soccer has secured its fifth-straight winning season and ends the regular season at 9-6-1 and 8-5-1 in Appalachian Athletic Conference play (AAC). Johnson falls to 3-13-1 (1-12-1 AAC).

The Buffs took 36 shots, their second-highest single-game total all season, and fired 25 attempts on target. On the flip side, Milligan limited to Johnson to just four shots and only one shot on goal.

The Royals' only shot on goal came while the match was still scoreless in the 23rd minute, but it was stopped by Lauren Davies.

The Buffs took a 1-0 lead in the 27th minute after Ellie Cachiaras took the ball up the right side, dodged three defenders, cut into the middle of the field and found Ashlen Burch in front of the net. Burch made a move to her right and fired in a sliding shot past the keeper for her fifth goal of the season.

Three minutes into the second half, Burch returned the favor. After a great touch by Autumn Daniels off a throw in gave Burch open space up the right sideline, Burch fired a cross to the left post where a leaping Cachiaras volleyed in her team-high 13th tally of the year.

Alex Thomas made it 3-0 Buffs in the 55th minute after a Taylor Dawson header off a corner kick hit the left post. The long rebound made it all the way out to Thomas, who blasted a ball through traffic and past the diving goalie for her third goal of the year.

Alia Figueredo pounced on an errant pass by the Royals' backline and forwarded a ball to Audra Morgan in the 79th minute. Morgan zipped around a defender and slotted in a shot into the lower near corner to push Milligan to its final margin of 4-0.

Milligan closes is regular season as winners of four of their last five games. In eight AAC games in October, the Buffs posted a 5-2-1 record, only losing to Reinhardt and Truett McConnell, the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the final AAC regular season standings.

Depending on results around the conference, Milligan has secured the No. 6 or No. 7 spot in the AAC Tournament. If the Buffs finish sixth, they'll advance to the AAC quarterfinals and play at the No. 3 seed (to be determined) next Saturday. If Milligan finishes seventh, the Buffs will host a play-in game against the No. 10 seed on Tuesday.