ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. — The Averett University women's soccer team knocked off the East Division's No. 4 seed N.C. Wesleyan College 1-0 on Wednesday afternoon at Scalf Field in the first round of the USA South Conference Tournament.

The Cougars travel to Raleigh, North Carolina, on Saturday to take on the East's No. 1 seed Meredith College at 3 p.m. in the conference quarterfinals. The two teams split the regular-season series with Averett winning the first game 3-2 in Danville and Meredith taking the second by a score of 2-1 in Raleigh.

Averett (10-9), the East's No. 5 seed, used a goal from sophomore Kaitlyn Barbour in the 50th minute to pull ahead. Barbour finished her shot from 30 yards out to provide what turned out to be the contest's only goal.

Averett women's soccer head coach Sarah Chapman was impressed with the intensity her players brought to the table.

"Today was a battle for us," Chapman said. "We found a way to score in the second half and that gave us momentum to finish the game and come out on top. N.C. Wesleyan is a good and organized team, which can be very hard to beat.
 
N.C. Wesleyan (10-6-2) had a chance to tie the game late when Marissa Aguilar ripped a shot, but sophomore goalkeeper Bailee Brown was there to make the save and preserve the win for Averett. Brown picked up her sixth blank sheet of the year, posting four saves in goal to help preserve the Cougars' victory.    

Averett lost both regular season meetings with N.C. Wesleyan, 1-0 and 4-0.