Two goals in a span of 4 1/2 minutes late in the second half proved to be the difference as Carson-Newman College edged Tusculum College 3-2 in a South Atlantic Conference Women's soccer match Wednesday night at the Niswonger Sports Complex/Pioneer Field.

Katie Hunter scored the go-ahead goal in the 77th minute and Morgan Gruenenfelder added an insurance tally in the 82nd minute for the Eagles (10-6-0, 7-1-0 SAC), who survived a late charge that saw the Pioneers nearly tie the game in the closing seconds after pulling within 3-2 with 39 seconds to play.

Amber Marceau and Kourtney Kavic scored goals for Tusculum (8-7-1, 3-4-1 SAC), whose six-game unbeaten streak came to an end with the setback.

Carson-Newman jumped to a 1-0 lead at 33:24 when Lizeth Munguia took a pass from Trenna Howell and fired home her first goal of the season. The lead stood until the 48th minute, when a corner kick by Courtney Turner was fired at goal by Michelle Meade and headed into the open net by Marceau for her third goal of the year.

Hunter broke the tie at 76:37 by heading home a corner kick by Andrea Saevik, then assisted on Gruenenfelder's ninth goal at 81:05 to extend the Eagle lead to 3-1. Kavic brought the Pioneers within one with 39 seconds to go on her fourth goal of the season, as her shot was bobbled by Eagle keeper Sarah Tompkins and crossed the line. Tramicka James was credited with an assist on Kavic's tally.

The Pioneers turned on the pressure in the closing seconds, and a shot from 10 yards out whistled just wide right with nine seconds to go to allow the Eagles to escape with the one-goal victory.

The teams combined for 40 shots in the match, with Carson-Newman finishing with a 21-19 edge, and Tusculum held an 8-4 advantage in corner kicks.

Pioneer keeper Rachael Jennings finished with a career-high 10 saves in the match, while Tompkins tallied eight stops for the Eagles.

Tusculum wraps up its regular season Saturday evening at 6 p.m., hosting Lenoir-Rhyne in the South Atlantic Conference finale for both squads. The Pioneers will celebrate Senior Night against the Bears, saluting the squad's six seniors prior to the match. At halftime, former Pioneer standouts Danielle Tanner and Nicole Ferris will be inducted into the program's Wall of Fame.