JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. — There wasn't much leeway in the final 45 minutes.
 
Unfortunately for the No. 6-ranked Lincoln Memorial University women's soccer team, once some presented itself it was Carson-Newman pulling through as the Eagles netted a goal in the 84th minute to keep the lead and hand LMU its first loss, 2-1, Wednesday night in Jefferson City, Tenn.
 
The opening half of the South Atlantic Conference opener saw a goal for each squad as C-N (2-2, 1-0 SAC) connected first on Jente Kuper's score from Sydney Spadafora across the middle at the 20:30-minute mark.
 
Less than two minutes later, LMU (4-1, 0-1) didn't waste any time matching the goal as Itzel Ballesteros roped a beautiful corner, striking a waiting Ermelinda Pantaleao for the header and her first score as a Lady Railsplitter to make it 1-all.
 
The stats were even across the board. LMU had 14 shots with seven on goal compared to the Eagles' 13 and eight on target. Emanuely Costa swatted away five of her six saves in the second half; meanwhile, Jasmine Rizk saved four shots and two more in the final 45 minutes.
 
Like the Lady Railsplitters, the Eagles used a corner to find a goal and C-N's fourth was backbreaking — with six minutes remaining — via Lara Hallgrimsdottir and off Lira Mathes' foot for the lead.
 
UP NEXT: LMU will aim to bounce back when Queens, who defeated Catawba 1-0 Wednesday, travels to the LMU Soccer Complex for a 1 p.m. start Saturday.
 
Stay tuned to LMURailsplitters.com, as well as LMU's social media platforms —@LMURailsplitter on Twitter, @LMURailsplitters on Facebook and @lmurailsplitters on Instagram — for complete coverage of Lady Railsplitter soccer through the 2019 season.
 
-LMU-