FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. - The Brevard College women's soccer team (7-4-2, 3-2-2 USA South) fell narrowly in a USA South Conference showdown on Saturday afternoon to Methodist University (9-4, 5-1 USAS) 1-0.
 
The Monarchs scored in the 20th minute of action and then held Brevard's lethal offense out of the back of the net for the remainder of the contest to clinch the conference win.
 
Brevard doubled Methodist's shot total, 12-6, including a 5-4 edge in on-target shots. Mikayla Zvekan led all Tornados with four shot attempts and three on-goal shots, while Grace Black, Austin Huffman, and Taylor Richardson all had two shots apiece. Kelsey Burge scored the game-winner off a Yaneli Sanchez assist, and Corrine Shovlain led the Monarchs with three shots.
 
Abby Nunez, a freshman goalkeeper from Homestead, Florida, made the start for the Tornados and stopped three shots. Carolina Simpkins got the starting nod for Methodist and made five saves in the shutout effort.
 
Before Methodist's goal, Brevard took three unanswered shot attempts through the first 14 minutes of play. Methodist answered back with a shot in the 20th minute that was rebounded by Burge and put into the back of the net to give the hosts the early edge.
 
BC totaled three more shots in the first half followed by six attempts in the second, but the Monarch defense held the Tornados out of the back of the net throughout the entirety of the match. Methodist played the final nine minutes of action player-down after a red card was issued, but the hosts were still able to maintain their shutout effort.
 
Brevard is back in non-conference action at home on Monday at 6 p.m. against Warren Wilson at Ives-Lemel Family Field.
 
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