CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. -- It was a perfect Senior Day on the field, even if it wasn't perfect in the weather conditions.
The Covenant women's soccer team secured the No. 2 West seed in the upcoming USA South Tournament with a resounding, 5-0, victory over Wesleyan at David Stanton Field on the campus of Chattanooga Christian School on Saturday afternoon.
The win gives Covenant (9-5-2, 6-1-1 USA South) the No. 2 West seed and a bye into the quarterfinal round of the USA South Tournament, which begins next week. The Lady Scots will host the winner of East No. 3 seed and East No. 6 seed on Saturday, Nov. 2 at Scotland Yard.
Before the match, which was moved to Chattanooga Christian because of continued rain, Covenant's senior class of Riley Battenfield, Addy Cronan, Abby Gienapp, Lizzy Hightower, and Anna Robertson was honored.
The seniors played a key role in helping Covenant to the win to cap the regular season. Hightower had a goal and an assist, while Cronan and Robertson each had goals with Battenfield recording an assist and Gienapp providing strong defensive presence.
Covenant, which played a man-up for the final 78 minutes of the match after Wesleyan's Katie Ann Fitts was red-carded, got on the board in the 15th minute. Kailey Burrell found the back of the net, assisted by Kyra Duble, to make it 1-0. The goal was Burrell's ninth of the year.
Later in the half, Cronan scored on an assist from Hightower in the 21st minute and Paige Simons added a goal in the 38th minute with an assist to Tori Deen.
The goal for Cronan was her second of the year, while it was also Simons' second score of the season.
Covenant carried a 3-0 lead into halftime after holding Wesleyan to just one shot attempt through the first 45 minutes.
In the second half, Hightower scored from outside the box as Burrell played a ball back to the senior, who slotted her shot off the post and into the net to make it 4-0 in the 61st minute. The goal was Hightower's first of the year.
The senior combination of Battenfield and Robertson capped the scoring in the 74th minute. Battenfield put a corner kick right into the six-yard box where Robertson headed the ball into the net for a 5-0 Covenant lead. It was Robertson's fifth goal of the year, continuing a career-high season for the senior.
Covenant out-shot Wesleyan 20-4 in the match, and 15-3 in shots on goal. Lucy Sandhoff and Savannah Cummings both played 45 minutes at the net, with Cummings registering three saves. Three keepers for Wesleyan (4-11-1, 2-6 USA South) combined for 10 saves.
UP NEXT
Covenant will host a USA South Tournament quarterfinal on Saturday, Nov. 2 at Scotland Yard. Match time and opponent will be determined next week.
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