JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. --- Ayuk Tambe scored the winning goal with three minutes left in the second half as Tusculum University defeated Carson-Newman University 1-0 in South Atlantic Conference men's soccer action Wednesday afternoon at McCown Field.
Tambe's team-high fourth goal of the season gave the Pioneers (4-5-0, 2-2-0 SAC) their second straight shutout win and snapped a three-match losing streak to the Eagles (6-2-0, 2-2-0 SAC). The win was the first by shutout by the Pioneers over the Eagles since a 4-0 win on Oct. 12, 2011 and their first road shutout of Carson-Newman since a 1-0 victory on Oct. 15, 2008.
Alejandro Quiriti, the reigning SAC Defensive Player of the Week, finished with three saves to earn his fourth shutout in as many victories this season. Carson-Newman outshot Tusculum by an 11-10 margin, but put just one shot on goal in the second half and played the final 18 1/2 minutes a man down due to ejection.
The Eagles had four of the first five shot attempts of the match, but did not put an attempt on target until a shot by Jonny Le Quesne was collected by Quiriti in the 29th minute. Quiriti made another save on an shot from the Eagles' Nencho Margaritha in the 42nd minute as the teams went to intermission with Carson-Newman outshooting Tusculum 6-4 in the first half.
The Pioneers had their first shot on goal in the 47th minute from Dario Ljubic, but Eagles keeper Twan Verweij was equal. Meanwhile, Carson-Newman earned four corner kicks in a span of 20 minutes but mustered just one shot off the services.
Tusculum had the best scoring chance by far in the 72nd minute, when Carson-Newman's Ben King was sent off for handling the ball in the box off the rebound of a shot by the Pioneers' Oscar Rubio Jimenez. It was Jimenez who stepped up to take the penalty with 18:36 to play, but his low blast was stopped by a diving Verweij and the rebound was sent well over the crossbar by Jimenez.
The Pioneers slowly took control of the play with the extra man, and a shot by Tambe from distance sailed wide of the frame with 4:29 left. As the clock ticked toward the 87th minute, Tambe beat the defender to a pass from Roy Deutekom down the right side, and went far post past Verweij with exactly three minutes to play. The goal marked the second straight game and fourth in the last five that Tambe has scored a goal.
Carson-Newman tried to mount pressure in the closing minutes, but had just one trip deep into the Tusculum end as the Pioneer defense was content with long clears as time ticked away.
The Eagles had a 5-4 edge in corner kicks over the Pioneers and were called for 14 fouls to 10 by the Pioneers, including all three bookings. Tusculum was flagged five times for offsides to once for Carson-Newman.
Tusculum will look to get back to an even record overall and move up in the conference standings when the Pioneers host Newberry on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. at Pioneer Field.