Women’s Soccer ends season with 1-0 defeat at Montreat in AAC quarterfinals

BLACK MOUNTAIN, N.C. (November 6, 2021) – The Milligan University women's soccer team fell 1-0 to Montreat in the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) Tournament quarterfinals on Saturday night.

Montreat (13-3) advances to the AAC semifinals to face second-seeded Truett McConnell. The Buffs close their season with an 9-7-1 record.

Neither team found the back of the net in the first half as Milligan outshot Montreat 7-5 over the first 45 minutes. Lauren Davies made a pair of saves in the 15th and 22nd minutes. Ellie Cachiaras had several scoring opportunities over the final six minutes of the half but was turned away each time.

Montreat scored in the first minute of the second half in a wild sequence. A long-range shot was blocked by a defender and the ball ricochet into the top left portion of the 18-yard box. Montreat's Jackie Montes beat a charging Davies to the ball and chipped it over the Buffs' keeper and into the goal.

Ashlen Burch attempted a shot from the top of the penalty area in the 48th minute that was saved by Montreat's Payton Landy. Three minutes later, Burch was freed up again from a similar spot, but her shot sailed wide right.

In the 63rd minute, Cachiaras stole a throw-in away from Montreat in the deep right corner of the Cavaliers' defensive zone and sent a beautiful cross to a wide open Burch in front of the net. Burch fired a shot off a bounce wide right.

Cachiaras slipped between three defenders at the top of the penalty area and attempted a sliding shot from straight-on in the 73rd minute that was saved by Landy. Two minutes later, a Milligan foul just beyond the Buffs' penalty area resulted in a direct kick shot that was hauled in by Davies.

With four minutes left in regulation, a long ball led Cachiaras into the box and wide of the right post. She gave a touch to her left to create an angle and ripped a shot from less than 10 yards out that flew to the left of the goal.

Kori Barnhill ripped a shot from distance in the 88th minute but it was collected cleanly by Landy.

The Cavaliers were able to effectively salt the game away on Milligan's half of the field for the majority of the final two minutes to escape with the 1-0 quarterfinal win.

Montreat attempted 15 shots while Milligan had 14. Both teams aimed six shots on goal. Cachiaras had seven shots with four SOG while Montes had nine of Montreat's attempts, three SOG and the game's lone tally.