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GREENSBORO -- Domination of the Southern Conference has been good to the UNCG women's soccer program. It has produced an automatic NCAA bid in 2006, an at-large selection last year and the knowledge that certainty beats sweating every time.

On Oct. 30, UNCG (16-4-1, 10-0-1 SoCon) became the first NCAA Division I program to complete three straight unbeaten regular seasons in its league since the Florida Gators of the Southeastern Conference achieved the feat from 1998-2000. Only 10 programs have done it, and in the case of the ACC, SEC and other power conferences, regular-season perfection means the security of NCAA participation.

The picture isn't quite as rosy for the Southern Conference. A year ago, the Spartans endured a long bus trip home from a conference tournament final loss to Furman, and they gathered for the televised selection show knowing they had never gotten an at-large invitation to the NCAA field.

"When we lost last year we were very upset, but when our name popped up on the board we were ecstatic," said senior midfielder Katelynn Donovan. "It was very anxious."

Wins over the fifth-seeded Paladins today and either Western Carolina or Samford in Sunday's conference title game in Mount Pleasant, S.C., would offer not only a spot in the 64-team field but probable exclusion from the dreaded Chapel Hill sub-regional. The Spartans know that. Or, at least, it's in the back of their minds.

Furman is now foremost. A victory this afternoon puts UNCG, which enters ranked 30th in a non-binding national poll and 48th in RPI, in solid shape for one of the 34 at-large berths. Defeat? Well, they'd rather not consider that.

It's more fun to realize they've outscored the league 26-4 this year and 87-14 over the past three regular seasons, and that months of training should be rewarded. In July, senior captains Jamie Corti and Mary Kate Towne convened the team for an internal, senior-run training camp. Under NCAA rules, coaches couldn't supervise until August, but the Spartans couldn't wait that long.

"As a freshman, I know it established the tone of the season," said goalkeeper Kelsey Kearney, a rookie from Durham. "We want to play for the seniors and win for them."

Another trend-setter was coach Eddie Radwanski's decision to do something theoretically radical. He replaced a sophomore in the net with Kearney after four games, and she responded by giving up only three goals in 11 contests.

UNCG isn't an offensive machine, but junior forward Kelly Attayek has been a catalyst in the box with 11 assists; Donovan has scored 12 goals, five of which have been match-winners; and sophomore forward Kristin Player has done a little of everything.

Radwanski used his longtime connections in local circles to build the core of the program with seven in-state starters, including defender Leigh Riordan, a Northwest Guilford graduate. The program also had the means to pursue and sign midfielder Jamie Etten from Spokane, Wash.; California teammates Kristin Player and Jen Rincon; and Donovan, from Melville, N.Y.

On Thursday, they boarded the bus for a five-hour journey. They hope to return Sunday night as champions who sleep well.

"On merit, we deserve" an NCAA bid, Radwanski said, "but we're going down there as a team on a mission, a team that wants to finish the job."

Contact Rob Daniels at 373-7028 or rob.daniels@news-record.com