Women's Soccer | 10/30/2015 11:40:00 PM

DATE: Oct. 31, 2015

Stats at a Glance PC NCW Record 17-1-1 7-8-2 USA South Record 10-1-1 5-6-1 Goals/GM 2.95 1.88 Goals Allowed/GM 0.26 1.02 Shots/GM 15.8 14.5 Shot on Goal % .525 .508 Save % .919 .793 Shutouts 15 7

TIME: 2:30 pm ET
LOCATION: Demorest, GA
FACILITY: Walker Ath. Complex, cap. 600
LAST MEETING: PC 2-0 (9/18/15@PC)
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TWITTER: @PiedmontLions | @PCLionsSoccer
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STORYLINES
--Second meeting between the two programs in postseason play
--Rematch of last year's quarterfinal that saw NC Wesleyan prevail in a PK shootout
--The winner moves on to face the winner of #3 seed Maryville vs. #6 seed Greensboro in next Friday's semifinal contest

MATCH FACTS
Piedmont will host NC Wesleyan in a USA South quarterfinal contest on Saturday, October 31 with kickoff set for 2:30 pm.  The contest will broadcast live on the Mane Event Broadcasting Network with Chris Keller taking the call for the live video feed.  The contest will feature a Halloween theme costume contest as well with fans encouraged to take a selfie at the game wearing their Halloween costume and tweet it @PiedmontLions to earn the most favorites.

THE COACH'S CORNER 
Piedmont Head Women's Soccer Coach Stephen Andrew offers his take leading up to kickoff with the Battling Bishops: "Excited to be back in post season. We have been playing well recently and we hope to carry that form into today's game against NC Wesleyan."

SCOUTING NC WESLEYAN
The Battling Bishops come into Saturday's contest riding a five-game unbeaten streak and fresh off a scoreless draw with USA South leader Meredith College on Wednesday.  NC Wesleyan has outscored its competition 24-0 in that five-game unbeaten streak with all those contests coming in conference play.  Julia Rebellon is the team's leading scorer with five goals on the season.  Senior Vanessa Batchelor is the key defensively with a 5-7-2 record as a starter keeper for the Bishops and a 1.11 goals against average. 

SERIES RECORDS
Piedmont won the first five matchups in this series from 2010 to 2014 before the postseason scoreless draw between the two in last year's campaign.  PC also won this season 2-0, the 6th time the Battling Bishops have been shutout in the 7-game series between the two.



BE KIND, DON'T REWIND
Though NC Wesleyan wouldn't mind a repeat of history, Piedmont is hoping to avoid being eliminated by the Battling Bishops in the USA South postseason after seeing NC Wesleyan prevail in a PK shootout last season.  The match had to be decided by PK's after a scoreless 110 minutes.  It was the second time on the season that Piedmont played to a scoreless draw also doing so against Methodist on the road earlier in the year.

CASS MONEY
Freshman CASSIDY REICH leads Piedmont with 19 goals scored this season, a mark that also puts her at the top of the conference in that category.  The Largo native also leads the league in assists and total points as one of just three Lady Lions in the NCAA Era to have totaled 50 points or more in a season joining Katie Porter and Marcy Grulke. 

VETERANS LEAD THE DEFENSE
Piedmont's defense has been lights out this season with 15 shutouts in 19 games this season led by senior goalkeeper MICHAELA GARDNER who owns a 16-1-1 record as a starter in 2015.  Her goals against average of 0.298 is the 11th best mark in the country while she sits in 12th in save percentage amongst all Division III keepers.  Several veterans also lead the back four as well anchored by seniors EMILY CORSON and ELIZABETH GALE as well as junior MARISSA AKIN.  

GOALKEEPING RECORDS
For NC Wesleyan:  Vanessa Batchelor, 5-7-1...Ashley Major, 1-0
For Piedmont: MICHAELA GARDNER, 16-1-1...ASHLYN ATNIP, 1-0

LAST TIME OUT: GREENSBORO COLLEGE
The Piedmont College women's soccer team completed its 2015 regular season on Saturday afternoon with a 2-0 shutout win at Greensboro College in USA South play.  

The win puts Piedmont at 17-1-1 overall tying the top wins mark in the program's NCAA Era (since 2003).  Piedmont took the lead in the contest in the first half when CASSIDY REICH converted a penalty kick awarded in the 31st minute. 

Already up 1-0, Piedmont added an insurance goal with Reich breaking free scoring after a through ball from Toi Gillett in the 53rd minute.  The 2-0 win sealed Piedmont's second straight season with ten wins in conference play as well after PC finished with a 10-1-1 mark in USA South action, the same record the Lady Lions had last year.  

NEXT UP FOR PIEDMONT
Should Piedmont win today, the Lady Lions would take on the winner of the #3 seed / #6 seed match-up on the other side of the bracket featuring Maryville and Greensboro. That semifinal contest would take place next Friday, November 6.