CHARLESTON, S.C. – Laura Ortega's record-breaking goal defeated UNCW 1-0 in the final home game of the season for the College of Charleston women's soccer team. The victory also solidifies a top-four Colonial Athletic Association spot for the Cougars heading into the final game of the season, with a top-two seed still a possibility for head coach Christian Michner and his squad.

Charleston (10-6-1; 5-2-1 CAA) started the game the brighter with flowing possession, without creating a clear sight of goal. The first attacking opportunity fell for the Seahawks from a corner kick, with the resulting header cleared a few yards off the line by the Cougars defense.

As the game creeped towards the 20^th minute, Ortega whipped in a cross from the right byline that Alyssa Beck just couldn't quite reach on the goal-line, UCNW (8-6; 2-5 CAA) getting the ball in the back of the Charleston net instantly before play was pulled back for an offside.

Ortega played in Beck with a deft flick in the 26^th minute, the junior seeing her effort from 22-yards fly a yard wide of the left post.

Minutes later the two combined again, this time finding the back of the Seahawks goal. Ana Lesmes won the ball in the midfield, playing Beck to the left of the halfway line who knocked a long ball in behind the defense for Ortega. The senior burst through on goal and slotted across the keeper into the bottom right corner to claim her eighth goal of the season and give CofC the lead. The goal also moved Ortega onto 25 career goals, the most in Charleston women's soccer history.

In the opening minutes of the second half Maddy Brill-Edwards, making her first appearance back from injury, breezed past her marker on the right byline and played Ortega but her hooked shot struck the post and bounced clear.

Ortega again looked to be the difference maker for Charleston, crushing the crossbar with a 20-yard free-kick in the 66^th minute.

The Seahawks pushed for the leveler as the game entered the final stages, Meredith Holton making two saves in the Charleston goal, but the defense held firm to confirm a fifth CAA win of the season in the final home game of the year.  

The women now look to a Sunday afternoon matchup against Hofstra on the road as they look to win a top-two seed in the upcoming CAA Tournament. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. in Hempstead, N.Y.

Quotables – Head Coach Christian Michner
On the game…
"Hard fought is right…anytime you play UNCW you're in for a battle. They challenge every ball and make it so difficult to play. I told my team sometimes you win and it's pretty, sometimes you won and it's kind of an ugly game… you have to be prepared for all different types of games to play in… Honestly at this point feel a little fortunate to come away with a 1-0 win…

On trying to push for a top-two seed…
We said going into this game in the locker room, look you can only play the team in front of you and there's three points out there tonight we need to try and go get. For us to have any chance of potentially being a two seed or a one, we really gotta go out and win tonight and then we'll focus on Hofstra at the end of the match."

Notables
• Laura Ortega scored her team-leading eighth goal of the season
• Alyssa Beck grabbed her fourth assist of the season
• Genevieve Henderson and Meredith Holton played roughly 45 minutes each for the combined clean sheet
• Ortega led the team with six efforts, three on target, one hitting the post and another striking the crossbar
• Five student-athletes played the full 90 minutes (Ortega, Tunney, Kim, S. Deutsch, L. Deutsch)
• Tunney is the only student-athlete to play every minute of every game this season (1,601)