HARROGATE, Tenn. – After jumping out to an early lead and ultimately pushing the second seed in the league to overtime, the seventh-seeded Queens University of Charlotte women's soccer team (8-7-1, 4-5-1 SAC) were overcome by Lincoln Memorial, 2-1, in the Quarterfinal Round of the South Atlantic Conference Championships from LMU Soccer Complex.
The Royals wasted no time on offense after the opening whistle as sophomore forward
Lulu Phan put Queens up 1-0 only 30 seconds into the match with her eighth goal of the season.
Queens hung tightly onto the one-goal advantage for nearly 75 minutes, thanks in part to key saves from senior goalkeeper
Rachel Quest, until Lincoln Memorial finally broke through on the offensive end at the 75:03 mark thanks to a goal from the league's leading goal scorer, Jessica Cravero, her 16th of the season.
The score remained knotted at one-goal apiece through 90 minutes, and despite two more saves by Quest in the overtime period, the Railsplitters' Itzel Ballesteros found the upper-90 in the 98th minute to advance Lincoln Memorial into the semifinals.
Despite the fierce defense of LMU, the Royals were able to match the Railsplitters in shots at 14-apiece while taking the edge in shots on goal, 7-6.
Phan and freshman
Dani Diaz led Queens with four shots, while sophomore
Emma Rose Stockton fired off three. Three of Diaz's four shots went on goal in 80 minutes on the pitch.
Queens also held the advantage over Lincoln Memorial in corners, 7-3.