BLACK MOUNTAIN, N.C.— Thanks to a late equalizer and a crucial save in the closing seconds of the match, the Montreat women's soccer team secured a 1-1 draw against the Brenau University Golden Tigers Saturday night, clinching the No. 4 seed in next week's Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) Tournament in the process. With the tie in Black Mountain, N.C., the Cavaliers moved to 7-4-3 (7-3-3 AAC) on the year.
 
Marissa Murray, one of nine Montreat seniors who were honored prior to kickoff, registered the game's initial shot and forced a save just 4:04 into the match; however, it was Brenau who found the back of the net first by capitalizing on a chance against the run of play. A Golden Tiger forward dribbled up the left side of the field in the 22^nd minute and sprinted past a couple of Cavalier defenders into open space. Then, by abruptly cutting back toward the 18-yard box, the Brenau attacker was able to lift a shot underneath the crossbar and into the back of the net for the 1-0 lead.
 
The Cavaliers created a plethora of dangerous chances after falling behind by a goal, with Hayden Bunn and Valerie Laurencio narrowly missing the target in the 29^th and 33^rd minutes, respectively. Charlotte Craver forced Brenau's goalkeeper to make a save in the 38^th minute, and Liz Aalbue nearly tied the match with less than 30 seconds remaining in the half after her right-footed shot just missed the upper-right corner and landed wide into the side netting.
 
At the half, Montreat held slight advantages over Brenau in shots (9-6), shots on goal (2-1) and corner kicks (3-1) despite the 1-0 deficit.
 
Needing a result to clinch the No. 4 seed in next week's AAC Tournament, the Cavaliers started to push numbers forward. Three Brenau saves midway through the second half had a packed Pulliam Stadium wondering if the equalizer would come, but Sydney Jordan provided the answer Montreat fans were hoping for with only 8:56 remaining in regulation.
 
Holding the ball, Isabel Aguilar played a pass to Hayden Bunn, who was cutting centrally through the midfield. A strong first touch and a couple of dribbles gave Bunn a window to shoot, and she pounced on the chance from 18 yards out. Bunn's initial strike was saved by a diving keeper, but the rebound was spilled into the middle of the box. Jordan saw the loose ball and charged into the penalty area, unleashing a rocket that found its way into goal, leveling the match at 1-1.
 
Brenau (9-4-3, 7-3-3 AAC) had an opportunity to steal a win in the closing seconds of the match, but Logan White stood tall in net and stopped a 1-on-1 breakaway with a draw-sealing save. When the clock hit zero, the 1-1 result meant the Cavs officially snatched the No. 4 seed in next week's AAC Tournament thanks to a goal-differential tiebreaker in conference play.
 
"Tonight, we did what needed to be done," said head coach Kristin Eggert. "Our team persevered after a tough game on the road to come back and secure the fourth-place finish in the AAC standings. I'm excited to see what is to come as we move into the postseason."
 
Despite trailing for 59:55, Montreat mostly controlled the run of play, tallying more shots (17-12), shots on goal (7-3) and corner kicks (3-2) than the Golden Tigers. White made two saves in net to help earn the point.
 
With the regular season over, the Montreat women's soccer team turns its attention to the AAC Tournament. The Cavaliers will host fifth-seeded Brenau in a quarterfinal matchup next Saturday at 7:00 p.m. in Black Mountain, N.C.