DATE: Nov. 7, 2015

Stats at a Glance PC MC Record 19-1-1 13-6 USA South Record 10-1-1 9-3 Goals/GM 2.86 2.58 Goals Allowed/GM 0.23 0.64 Shots/GM 15.4 20.5 Shot on Goal % .525 .527 Save % .929 .824 Shutouts 17 8

TIME: 2:00 pm ET
LOCATION: Raleigh, NC
FACILITY: Meredith Athletic Field
LAST MEETING: PC 1-0 (10/10/15@PC)
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STORYLINES
--The winner of Saturday's USA South Championship Game will take the league's automatic berth into the NCAA National Tournament.
--Methodist is making its second straight appearance in the USA South Championship Game while Piedmont is in the final for the second time in three years.

MATCH FACTS
Kickoff on November 7 is set for 2:00 pm between these two programs as Piedmont entered the USA South postseason as the #2 seed while Methodist is the #4 seed. The contest will be broadcast live courtesy of Meredith College who is playing host to the USA South Final Four.  Live stats will also be available for fans to follow along.  Admission will be charged for all tournament matches ($3 faculty, staff, students, seniors, children; $6 general adult admission).

THE COACH'S CORNER 
Here's what Piedmont Head Women's Soccer Coach Stephen Andrew had to say leading up to kickoff against the Monarchs in the USA South final:  "We're excited to be back in the conference final again and a win away from earning the conference title and getting to nationals. I think we have been in good form at the right time of season, and hopefully we can carry that momentum over into this tough match-up.  We've already had a tough challenge from a good Methodist team that is well coached, but you expect nothing less in a conference final.  It's a credit to Coach Madej and his team, and we're looking forward to a good game with them."   

SCOUTING METHODIST
The Monarchs are one of the two best defensive teams along with Piedmont boasting a 0.64 goals against average this season led by All-Conference keeper Taylor Ross.  However, it's not just defense that fans get with the Monarchs as they also are potent going forward sparked by veteran Taylor Cavazos who is tied for the team lead in assists with four on the season.  Methodist is under the direction of Head Coach Bryan Madej who is in his 6th season at the helm having led Methodist to the final last season where his Monarchs fell in a heartbreaker 2-1 in overtime to Maryville. 

SERIES RECORDS
This is the first USA South postseason meeting between the two programs though the regular season meetings between them is almost dead even with Piedmont owning a slim 5-4-1 advantage.  Four of Piedmont's five wins in the series have come in the last five meetings in the series with Methodist's last win coming by a 2-0 scoreline in 2010. 

DON'T BE SO DEFENSIVE
Saturday's final features a defensive showcase that would thrill the classic fans of the game as each team brings an All-Conference keeper to the mix with Methodist being led by Taylor Ross while Piedmont is anchored by MICHAELA GARDNER.  The two have combined to allow just 15 goals in more than 3,200 minutes of action.  Each team also has two All-Conference defenders as well as Methodist saw Eryka Underwood and Kortney Maggard earn 1st and 2nd team honors respectively.  For Piedmont's back four, it's ABBEY DUNLOP and MARISSA AKIN who earned the All-Conference nod.  Neither team has allowed a goal in USA South postseason play so far.

FAMILIAR FACES
Both Head Coaches in Saturday's final are alumni of their respective institutions as Methodist Coach Bryan Madej played for the Monarchs from 1999-2002 and earned three All-Conference honors including a first-team nod in 2001.  Madej was also named a NSCAA All-South Region selection in 2000 with his 15 goals scored and he ranks 6th in the Methodist records book in total goals scored (38) and career points (84).  Piedmont Head Coach Stephen Andrew played for the Lions from 2000 to 2003 amassing more than 100 career goals as the program leader in that category and one of the top five all-time leading scorers in the history of NCAA Division III.  Andrew was the country's top goalscorer in his senior season with the Lions tallying 33 goals leading Piedmont to its third conference title in his four years with the program that year and a NCAA Sweet 16 appearance as well. Andrew was also a four-time conference Player of the Year, NSCAA All-Region, and All-American.

TWO IS BETTER THAN ONE
Piedmont's attack in the last two games has been anchored by a veteran and a newcomer with MEGAN HATFIELD and CASSIDY REICH each scoring a goal in each of PC's two wins in postseason play.  Hatfield has scored first in each win bringing her season total to a career single-season high 10.  The two also combined for the pair of goals in the quarterfinal picking up the assists on each other's goals.  

GOALKEEPING RECORDS
For Methodist: Taylor Ross, 12-6...Meaghan O'Meara, 1-0
For Piedmont: MICHAELA GARDNER, 18-1-1...ASHLYN ATNIP, 1-0

LAST TIME OUT: MARYVILLE, USA SOUTH SEMIFINAL
 In the second semifinal of the USA South Championship Tournament, the Piedmont College women's soccer team scored twice in the second half to overtake Maryville College and earn a spot in the championship game set for Saturday, November 7.

Coming into the tourney as the #2 seed, Piedmont earned a postseason win over the 3rd seeded Scots for the first time since the two met in the Great South Athletic Conference Championship Game in 2001 when PC claimed its first GSAC title.  The two had yet to meet in the postseason since both left the GSAC for the USA South in 2012. 

The first 45 minutes saw no goals for either side, but it only took about four minutes for Piedmont's MEGAN HATFIELD to break the deadlock when she took a brilliant feed from SARAH WEBER and smashed away Piedmont's first goal of the day in the 49th minute.

With a 1-0 lead intact, the Lady Lions doubled the margin when CASSIDY REICH put away a Hatfield service in the 63rd minute to make it 2-0 Piedmont.  With the Lady Lion defense holding strong for another clean sheet, Piedmont would go on to lay claim to the 2-0 win heading to the USA South Championship Game for the 2nd time in the last three seasons. 

The win also continues a record-setting season for Piedmont who picked up its 19th win of the season with the victory.  That 19th win sets a new USA South record for wins in a season besting the 1990 and 1995 Methodist squads who each won 18 games on the year.

NEXT UP FOR BOTH TEAMS
The winner of the USA South Championship Game will take the league's automatic berth into the NCAA National Tournament.  For Piedmont, the appearance would be the third in the last five seasons.  For Methodist, the NCAA showing would be the first since 2007 when the Monarchs were making the second of back-to-back appearances in the big dance.