WINGATE, N.C. --- Two goals in the second half enabled Wingate University to defeat Tusculum College 2-0 in South Atlantic Conference women's soccer action Saturday afternoon.
Kaitlyn Brunworth scored in the 58th minute to break a 0-0 tie, and Taylor Leyble added an insurance goal with a minute and a half left for the Bulldogs (10-5-1, 8-3-0 SAC), who will play Queens University of Charlotte in a SAC Tournament quarterfinal match on Tuesday.
Despite the loss, the Pioneers (10-5-2, 8-2-1 SAC) earned a share of the SAC championship with Carson-Newman and Lenoir-Rhyne, but will be the number three seed in the conference tournament due to tiebreakers. The Pioneers will host Anderson in a quarterfinal contest on Tuesday at 5 p.m. at Pioneer Field.
Wingate outshot Tusculum 9-5 during the opening half, but was able to only put one shot on the Pioneer goal which was stopped by keeper Miriah Martin. Tusculum had a pair of shots on goal in the first half, but Wingate keeper Alexis Jones was able to save both attempts.
The Bulldogs nearly took the lead in the 58th minute when a shot by Taylor Krakower hit the crossbar, but Wingate was able to convert moments later as a cross from Kimmi Moore was put home by Brunworth for her second goal of the season.
Trailing 1-0, the Pioneers ramped up the pressure on the Bulldog goal, but Jones made saves on Cheyenne Upton in the 65th minute, Olivia Kilgore in the 82nd minute and Kelli McCalla in the 83rd minute. However, Leyble scored her fourth goal of the season off the left post with 1:32 left to clinch the win for the Bulldogs.
Wingate outshot Tusculum 16-9 in the match, with both teams taking three corner kicks. The Pioneers were whistled for six fouls to five by the Bulldogs. Martin had three saves in goal for the Pioneers, while Jones had five stops in the contest for the Bulldogs.
Tusculum and Anderson have met once in the SAC Tournament, with the Trojans advancing on penalty kicks in 2011. The Pioneers have been eliminated from the SAC Tournament on penalties three times in the last five seasons.
