CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Charlotte struck early and often, scoring three first half goals before tacking on another early in the second to earn the Conference USA Championships title 4-0 over Florida Atlantic Sunday on ESPN3. The 49ers garner the fifth NCAA Tournament appearance in program history with the crown and first under head coach John Cullen.

Charlotte will make its fifth NCAA Tournament appearance, joining the 1998, 2002, 2007 and 2008 squads, and fourth as an automatic berth. The 49ers improve to 4-3-1 all-time in tournament finals.

The Niners are the first Conference USA school to win the league title on its home field since Memphis in 2011 and won a conference championship at Transamerica Field for the second time, joining the 2007 squad from the Atlantic 10.

Charlotte (11-8-2) put all three of its first-half tallies into the net via headers with four different players factoring into the scoring column. A total of six assists were credited during the match, including three from All-Conference USA Third Team and All-Conference USA Freshman Team selection Riley Orr.

While the Niners had the offensive fireworks, it was also a credit to the 49ers’ backline and redshirt sophomore Anna Shelden in net to preserve the shutout. The stout defense allowed the Owls only two shots on goal.

It was another rookie, Julia Grainda, who started the goal-scoring barrage in the sixth minute. Orr, taking her patented corner kicks, swung the service towards the back post. Conference USA Freshman of the Year Megan Greene leapt high over the Florida Atlantic (12-8-2) defense, redirecting it towards the net. Just before it crossed the goal line, Grainda put her own head on it to slip it behind Conference USA Goalkeeper of the Year, Sydney Drinkwater, for the 1-0 edge at the 5:06 mark.

The cross-to-header connection continued for the Niners’ next tally, at 26:00, as senior tri-captain Kaitlin Walker danced around a defender on the right side before sending the ball far across to the other side of the 18-yard box to an awaiting Katie O’Neill. The senior All-Conference USA Third Team selection wasted no time in one-touching it off her head to the far post for a 2-0 advantage.

As Charlotte continued to pressure, holding a 10-to-6 edge on shots during the period, Orr continued her push forward from her outside back position. She masterfully crafted another long service, this time from the left side, to the top of the six-yard box. Awaiting the cross was Greene, who flat-footed a header into the cage for a 3-0 margin at the 42:51 mark.

The high-efficiency octane offense continued to click shortly after the second half started, needing just over two minutes to put the final goal on the board. Orr’s corner kick found Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year Martha Thomas, who then one-touched a short pass over to sophomore Emily Truelove. Truelove then blasted home a strike from 20 yards out, increasing the final margin to 4-0.

Cullen then worked the rest of its bench players into action during the second half, preserving the team’s sixth shutout of the campaign and second straight in Conference USA Championships action, allowing all healthy bodies to step onto the field during the final.

With her assist, Thomas increases her season point total to 30, a new career best. It marks just the ninth time in program history a player has had at least 30 points in a single season and first since Whitney Weinraub’s 32 and Hailey Beam’s 30 in 2009.

The 49ers also improved to 9-1-1 on their home turf this season, the most wins at Transamerica Field since 2009’s 10. It’s the least amount of home losses since an unbeaten 9-0-0 mark in 2008.

Greene became the program’s all-time leader in single tournament shots during the Conference USA tenures (1995-2004; 2013-present) with 13. She entered Sunday’s match tied with Carrie Hughes’ 10, set in 1998.

Orr set two school C-USA Championships records, including most assists in a single game (3) and in a single tournament (4).

The six team assists Sunday establish a new single-game standard, while the nine in the championship run break the program’s single-tournament mark.

Charlotte will learn of its NCAA Tournament fate during the NCAA Selection Show live on NCAA.com at 4:30 p.m. Monday. First Round action takes place on campus sites with dates set for Nov. 11, 12 or 13.

---

RECOMMENDED FOR YOU

ECNL Girls N. Atlantic Players to Watch

Women's NCAA Tournament Round Two Preview

Best of Men's College Soccer Week 13