North Alabama advances to ASUN Semifinal
0
Queens (NC) QUC (4-8-8, 2-4-6)
1
Winner North Ala. UNA (10-5-5, 5-3-3)
Queens (NC) QUC
(4-8-8, 2-4-6)
0
Final
1
North Ala. UNA
(10-5-5, 5-3-3)
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Queens (NC) QUC 0 0 0
North Ala. UNA 0 1 1

Game Recap: Women's Soccer |

Hovis, defense powers Lions to ASUN Semifinal over Queens

Lions advance to ASUN Semifinal for first time since 2018

FLORENCE, Ala. (October 29, 2023) – Junior midfielder Kellie Hovis netted her first goal of the season to help propel the Lions to a 1-0 shutout victory over Queens in the ASUN Championship Quarterfinal on Sunday at the Bill Jones Athletic Complex.

With the victory, the Lions improve to 10-5-5 on the season and are set to square off with Lipscomb in the semifinal round on Thursday, Nov. 2 at 2 p.m. at the Lipscomb Soccer Complex. This is the Lions second ever appearance in the ASUN semifinal round, with the first coming in 2018 where UNA defeated NJIT, 3-0. 

North Alabama found plenty of chances, out-earning Queens 10-4 on corner kicks and out-shooting the Royals 14-2 — with eight of those shots coming on goal. 

North Alabama goalkeeper Adriana Wright stopped two shots on the match as she earned her 12th shutout of the season. Wright's 12 shutouts tie her with Clemson goalkeeper Hallie Mackiewicz for the most in Division I soccer. 

In the 60th minute, Queens goalkeeper Erica Turner took a free kick from midfield that deflected off a UNA defender, but Wright was able to make a diving stop. Turner turned away seven North Alabama shots on the match, including an Olivia Heinert chance from point blank range in the 64th minute. 

Samford transfer Kellie Hovis answered the call in the 72nd minute of the match. Heinert built up the play on the right side before centering a pass to Olivia Anderson. Hovis met the Anderson pass with her right foot to score the first UNA postseason goal since 2020. 
The 2023 North Alabama squad etches their names into the UNA record book with the 12th shutout of the season. Wright set a new UNA individual mark for shutouts in a season, previously set at nine as the team tops the previous record of 11 set by the 2014 squad. In 2014, the Lions advanced to the Division II NCAA Tournament. 

The match had an attendance of 655, setting a new program record for best home attendance. The previous record was set on Oct. 6, 2022 when the Lions welcomed 639 fans to the Bill Jones Athletic Complex in a 3-0 victory over Kennesaw State. 

With the victory, the Lions improve to 3-2 all time in ASUN Championship tournament matches, with the previous two victories coming in 2018. Today marked the first time the North Alabama soccer program has hosted an ASUN postseason match. With a victory over Lipscomb, the Lions matched the Division I program record for most victories in a season with 11. 
The ASUN semifinal match against Lipscomb will be a rematch of a 4-0 victory by the Bisons at the Lipscomb Soccer Complex back in late September.

For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
 
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