CLEVELAND, Tenn. --- Tusculum College scored three goals in the final eight minutes to erase a one-goal deficit and defeat Lee University 4-2 in non-conference men's soccer action Saturday night.
The Pioneers (3-0-0) outshot the Flames (1-3-0) by a 23-6 margin, but trailed 2-1 until André De Giorgi scored his fourth goal of the season at 82:11 to tie the score at 2-2. Tusculum then tallied the go-ahead goal with 2:15 left on an own goal, and Andreas Kvam added insurance with two seconds left to give the Pioneers wins in their first three matches of a season for the first time since 2008, when Tusculum advanced to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight.
Rocco Menna had a pair of assists for the Pioneers, distributing helpers on the tying goal by De Giorgi and the final goal of the match by Kvam. Tyler Linkous also scored for the Pioneers, who trailed 2-1 at halftime before mounting their late-game rally against the Flames. Tusculum has scored 10 goals in their first three matches, with De Georgi netting at least one goal in all three contests.
Lee wasted little time in getting on the scoreboard as David Perez put the Flames' first shot of the game past Pioneer keeper Jorge Alvarez at 4:53 for a 1-0 lead. The Pioneers put on the pressure following Perez's goal, nearly tying the game in the 25th minute when a shot by Isai Hernandez caromed off the crossbar.
Tusculum finally found the equalizer at 30:21 as a cross by Vetle Salte was headed home by Linkous for his first goal of the season. The deadlock was short-lived, as Lee regained the lead almost exactly four minutes later when Perez threaded a through ball to Drew Jackson, who slipped home the go-ahead marker at 34:19.
The Pioneers almost responded with the tying goal in the 38th minute, but a shot by Salte went off the post. Despite holding a 13-3 edge in shots in the opening half, Tusculum trailed 2-1 heading into the second half.
Flames goalie Tristen Putnam kept the lead at 2-1 in the early stages of the second half by making saves on Salte, Hernandez and Kvam in a span of three minutes. Finally, in the 83rd minute De Giorgi took a feed from Menna and one-timed a shot past Putnam to even the score at 2-2.
After a pair of corner kicks by the Flames were turned away by the Pioneer defense, it was Tusculum's turn to take a corner with 2 1/2 minutes on the clock. During a scramble, the ball bounced off a Flames defender and into the goal to give the Pioneers their first lead of the night with 2:15 left.
Lee mounted a desperate charge in the closing minute, but a corner kick attempt was cleared and led to a break for the Pioneers. Menna took a shot that was stopped by Putnam, but Kvam deposited the rebound into an open net with two seconds left to wrap up the comeback for Tusculum.
In addition to their advantage in shots, the Pioneers had a 8-3 edge in corner kicks. Lee was called for nine fouls to six for Tusculum, while the only caution of the match was shown to the Pioneers in the first half. Alvarez finished the match with three saves in his third victory of the season for Tusculum, while Putnam had five stops for the Flames.
Tusculum returns home for their South Atlantic Conference opener on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. against Queens University of Charlotte at Pioneer Field.
