GREENEVILLE, Tenn. — Sydney Grant scored the tiebreaking goal with just under 18 minutes left in the second half as Tusculum University picked up a 3-2 victory over Shaw University in non-conference women’s soccer Saturday afternoon at Pioneer Field.
The Pioneers (2-2-0) won their second straight match by outshooting the Bears (1-2-0) by a 20-8 margin, but the victory was not secured until the final seconds when a shot by Shaw’s Johanna Lillja went just wide of the far post.
Alexis Roessler and Adriana Netskos scored first-half goals for the Pioneers, while Thea Schillaci and Giovanna Coghetto tallied in the opening half for the Bears. After Coghetto’s goal in the 41st minute, the game remained deadlocked until Grant’s go-ahead goal with 17:48 remaining.
Tusculum had the first shot attempt in the fourth minute, but a blast from Grant caromed off the crossbar. Marja Enste shot wide on a free kick in the 12th minute for the Pioneers.
The Pioneers went up 1-0 at 15:59 as a free kick from midfield by Caroline Heintzelman was redirected to the middle at the top of the box by Wilma Axelsson, and Roessler stepped through from 15 yards to blast a shot past Shaw keeper Lindsay Poplin.
Shaw had its first shot attempt in the 17th minute as Lillja was denied from the right side by Tusculum keeper Angel Chase. The Bears would get the equalizer at 22:04 as a service from Alondra Lares went to Schillaci, who beat Chase to deadlock the score at 1-1.
The Pioneers had a chance to take a 2-1 lead at 25:43 as Lares took down Grant just inside the top of the box. Brynn Stokes was tapped to take the penalty, but her attempt sailed over the crossbar as the match remained even.
Nearly 2 1/2 minutes later, the Pioneers would get their second goal as a free kick into the box was volleyed around before being chipped into the net by Netskos at 28:03. The goal was initially disallowed for offsides but was eventually ruled good after a discussion.
The Pioneers had a couple chances to stretch the lead courtesy of McKenzie Hanson, but her first try from long range was grabbed by Poplin in the 29th minute and her second chance on a cross was blocked by the defense in the 36th minute.
Chase preserved the lead for the Pioneers by making a jumping save on a long attempt from Audrey Garland in the 38th minute, but Shaw would level the score at 40:38 as Coghetto curled a corner kick inside the near post.
The Pioneers had control of the play early in the second half, but Poplin made saves on Addison Rishling in the 49th minute, Tanna Bookhamer in the 52nd minute and Axelsson in the 58th minute.
Grant put the Pioneers on top at 72:12 as she collected a long pass from the back end by Wills, split two defenders and beat Poplin to the far side from just inside the 18 to give the Pioneers the lead for good.
Tusculum nearly tacked on an insurance goal in the final two minutes, but a shot from Hanson was blocked and a header on the ensuing corner from Stokes went over the crossbar. With time running out, Lillja gained possession and had a one-on-one opportunity against Chase, but her shot slipped under the keeper and just past the far post with three seconds to go.
Both teams were called for 10 fouls and had four corner kicks in the match. Poplin had six saves in goal for the Bears, while Chase collected three saves for the Pioneers in the victory.
Tusculum will visit nationally-ranked Columbus State on Wednesday, Sept. 18 beginning at 11 a.m. The Cougars defeated Embry-Riddle 4-1 on Saturday to pick up their fourth win without a loss this season, while outscoring their opponents by a 17-1 margin.
