WINGATE, N.C. --- Emil Svenander scored early in the second half to give Wingate University a 1-0 victory over Tusculum University in South Atlantic Conference men's soccer action Saturday afternoon.
The Bulldogs (9-3-4, 6-1-3 SAC) won their seventh straight match and took over first place in the SAC standings heading into the final day of regular season play on Wednesday. The Pioneers (1-7-5, 1-5-4 SAC) had their four-match unbeaten streak end and endured their fourth 1-0 loss in conference play this season.
Wingate outshot Tusculum 10-6 in the match, and the Bulldogs had just three shots on goal to one for the Pioneers. Nicolas Leite had two saves in his first start of the season for the Pioneers, while Aleksa Janjic had one stop for the Bulldogs.
Neither team attempted a shot until the 18th minute, when Tusculum's Luis De La Fuente shot high off a corner kick. The first shot attempt from Wingate came in the 24th minute, but was directed wide from 25 yards by Pedro Santos.
Leite would be tested for the first time in the 26th minute as he went down to cover a shot attempt by the Bulldogs' Fabio Rodrigues. The only other shot of the half would come in the 37th minute as Svenander shot wide of the goal.
Wingate netted the only goal of the match at 50:20 as a loose ball in the box was gathered by Svenander, who beat Leite to the far side for his fifth goal of the season and a 1-0 Bulldogs lead.
Leite kept the deficit at a goal as he went to the ground to cover a blast from the top of the box by Rodrigues in the 58th minute. Tusculum would put its only shot on goal in the 60th minute, but an attempt from 30 yards by Lars Schutrups went to Janjic on one hop.
The last chance for the Pioneers came in the 74th minute, but Schutrups missed just wide of the far post. Wingate would have three more shot attempts in the final 14 minutes while protecting their 1-0 lead.
Wingate was called for 12 fouls in the match to four for Tusculum, while both teams were shown a pair of cautions.
Tusculum will wrap up its regular season on Wednesday, Oct. 26 when the Pioneers host Carson-Newman for a 7:30 p.m. match. The Eagles enter the final week of the season in third place in the SAC with a 5-1-4 record, two points behind Wingate and a point behind Coker for second place.