Nov. 1, 2009

Charlotte, NC -

2009 Atlantic 10 Women's Soccer Championship Bracket

The 24th-ranked Charlotte 49ers women's soccer team (15-2-2, A-10: 9-0-2), who have captured two straight Atlantic 10 Championships, are seeded #2 in this week's Atlantic 10 Championship which will be played at Charlotte's Transamerica Field, November 5-8. The 49ers enter the Championship with a 13-game unbeaten streak which is one of the longest in the nation.

The 49ers earned their fourth straight first-round bye after finishing second in the A-10 during the regular-season. Charlotte is attempting to join Massachusetts (1993-95) as the only other program in conference history to capture three straight A-10 titles.

Third-seed Fordham and sixth seed Massachusetts will battle in the first game of the Championship, Thursday, November 5 at 5:30 pm. Then, 4th-seed St. Bonaventure and 5th-seed Saint Louis will play the final game of the first day of the Championship, Thursday, November 5 at 8 pm. The 49ers will face the highest remaining seed in the first semifinals, Friday, November 6 at 5:30 pm. While top seed Dayton will face the lowest remaining seed in the other semifinals, Friday, November 6 at 8 pm. The winner of the two semifinal games will face off for the A-10 Championship, Sunday, November 8 at 1 pm.

The 49ers enter the A-10 Championships as the top scoring team in the Atlantic 10 and one of top scoring teams in country. Charlotte ranks fifth in the nation in scoring at 3.00 goals per game. Sixteen 49ers have scored at least one goal this season led Whitney Weinraub's Atlantic 10 leading 13 goals. Two-time Atlantic 10 Tournament MVP Hailey Beam is second on the team and the A-10 with 10 goals. A couple of weeks ago, she scored her 36th career goal which tied Courtney Cook's school-record. Beam also passed Cook to become the 49ers all-time leader in career points with 103. Kirby Stenard is third on the team and tied for fifth in the A-10 with seven goals. Lacey McGowan and Jenna McKeon are tied for fourth on the team with four goals apiece.

Beam leads the team and is second in the A-10 with 10 assists. Sam Huecker and Oni Bernard are tied for second on the team and fourth in the A-10 with seven assists apiece.

The 49ers defense behind the play of goalkeeper Lauren Brown and defenders Katie Davies, Whitney Bryant, Danielle Mayeaux and Megan Minnix have recorded 13 shutouts and have only allowed 13 goals all season.

Charlotte enters the tournament with a 27-game unbeaten streak against A-10 Competition. Charlotte has reached at least the semifinals of the conference tournament 13 times in the program's 16-year history. Charlotte has captured four conference tournament titles including two straight A-10 Tournament titles.