GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- A goal in each half helped Spring Hill College to a 2-0 victory over Tusculum University in non-conference men's soccer action Friday night at Pioneer Field.
Johannes Hanken Tjostheim scored in the first half and Albert Vila Truco added a penalty kick in the second half for the Badgers (1-0-0), who were outshot 8-6 by the Pioneers (0-1-0). Spring Hill keeper Lucas Pezzano made three saves to earn the shutout in his first collegiate game.
The Pioneers had a 6-3 advantage in shots in the second half and finished the match with a 7-3 edge in corner kicks, but could not dent the Badgers' defense. Tusculum keeper Bruno De Freitas had one save in goal for the Pioneers.
The first shot of the game came in the eighth minute from the Pioneers' Damien Baltide, who headed a cross wide of the target. Tusculum had three corner kicks in the first 17 minutes, as Spring Hill did not take its first shot until the 20th minute when a try by Victor Martinez was deflected wide by De Freitas.
Spring Hill went up 1-0 at 23:52 as Hugo Frivold threaded a pass through the defense to Tjostheim, who went far post past De Freitas for the first goal of the night. Manuel Milalits nearly gave the Badgers a 2-0 lead in the 36th minute, but he headed a corner kick from Markus Boe Tunge off the crossbar and over the frame.
Tusculum had a pair of good looks early in the second half, but Baltide was stopped by Pezzano on a low shot from a sharp angle in the 50th minute and Gui Busato was denied on a riser from the right side in the 54th minute.
The Badgers would tack on insurance in the 69th minute as Frivold was pushed down in the box from behind, leading to a penalty kick that Vila Truco deposited low to the right of De Freitas for a 2-0 lead at 68:03.
Tusculum's last good chance came in the 70th minute as a one-timer off a cross by Busato was corraled by Pezzano. Busato had one more chance in the final minute, but he just missed the upper far corner.
Spring Hill was whistled for 17 fouls to 11 by Tusculum, and each team was shown three cautions in the match.
The Pioneers will return to action on Monday, August 29 at Clayton State, beginning at 5 p.m. The Lakers rolled to a 6-0 win over Erskine in their season opener on Friday night.
