Pioneers earn 1-1 draw with fourth-ranked Limestone

Pioneers earn 1-1 draw with fourth-ranked Limestone

GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- Tusculum University played to a 1-1 draw with fourth-ranked Limestone University Saturday afternoon in South Atlantic Conference men's soccer from Pioneer Field.

The Pioneers (5-3-3, 1-3-3 SAC) played to their third draw in five matches despite being outshot 14-6 by the Saints (7-1-2, 4-1-2 SAC), who were coming off a 1-0 loss to Wingate on Wednesday.

Tusculum scored the tying goal in the 55th minute on an own goal after Limestone had gone ahead 1-0 on a goal from Bilal Camara in the 24th minute.

The Pioneers did not have a shot attempt until the 24th minute, just after the Saints had taken a 1-0 lead at 23:05 as Camara collected a loose ball at close range and knocked a shot past Tusculum keeper Nicolas Leite for his fifth goal of the season.

Tusculum's best chance of the first half came in the 27th minute as Ludvig Radberg came from the left side and fired a shot that was just wide of keeper Henrik Dahl and the near post.

The Pioneers leveled the score at 54:49 as a service from just outside 30 yards from Artur Marques bounced in front of Dahl and off his hands, only to be redirected into the goal by defender Ronan Astier.

Leite stopped Falk Jorch on a header off a corner kick in the 58th minute and redirected a blast from Shunsuke Nakamoto in the 62nd minute. Moments later, Nakamato had a chance off a Limestone corner kick but Tusculum's Asbjorn Saevik cleared the shot off the line.

In the 75th minute, Limestone nearly took the lead as Leite went down to play a ball, but Leite quickly got to his feet to knock away a chance from Mark Radoki. Tusculum's best chance came off a corner kick with 2:30 remaining, but a shot from Pedro Concheso was blocked and the follow-up from J-P Vital was headed away by Jorch on the line.

Limestone finished the match with an 8-3 advantage in corner kicks, with the Saints being called for 17 fouls to seven for the Pioneers. Leite ended the day with five saves for the Pioneers, with Dahl making one save for the Saints.

Tusculum will be back home to face Emory & Henry on Wednesday, Oct. 10 at 7:30 p.m. at Pioneer Field. The Wasps entered the weekend at 0-6-0 in conference play and seeking their first win of the 2023 season.