SALISBURY, N.C. --- Jordan Newby scored the winning goal with 51 seconds left in double overtime as Tusculum rallied for a 2-1 win over Catawba in South Atlantic Conference women's soccer action Saturday night at the Frock Soccer Complex.
Newby took a pass from Sonja Ballmert and buried the game-winner for the Pioneers (10-4-0, 7-2-0 SAC), who moved into a tie for third place in the SAC with Wingate heading into next Saturday night's regular-season finale with the Bulldogs.
The Indians (6-8-0, 3-5-0 SAC) led 1-0 midway through the second half, but Cheyenne Upton scored the tying goal with 13 minutes remaining to send the teams into overtime, where the Pioneers earned their third straight win over the Indians.
Catawba outshot Tusculum 6-5 in the first half, but put just one shot on Pioneer keeper Danielle Breen who stopped the Indians' Jovana Sanchez in the 22nd minute. Tusculum had three shots on goal in the first half, including Yvette Raaijen and Carlie Thornber in the final 3 1/2 minutes of the half that were saved by Catawba keeper Shelby Thompson.
The scoreless match continued through the early stages of the second half, as Ballmert and Newby had shots on goal that were stopped by Thompson in the first six minutes of the half. With just over 21 minutes left, Breen stopped Becky Frost's shot but Erin Feldman put home the rebound for a 1-0 Catawba lead with 21:06 left.
The Pioneers came back and got the equalizer with 12:59 remaining as Ballmert fed Upton for her third goal of the season to knot the contest at 1-1. Catawba nearly regained the lead with just under two minutes left as a long shot by Frost hit the crossbar, and Breen made the save on a follow-up shot by Sanchez to send the Pioneers to overtime for the first time this season.
Tusculum had the only shot on goal in the first overtime period, as a shot from the Pioneers' Payton DeHart was stopped by Thompson. Breen came up with a save on a shot from long range by Bailey Howell with 6:25 left, and the match seemed headed to finish in a draw.
However, the Pioneers gained possession in the Indians' half of the field with a minute to go, and Ballmert located Newby for her team-high fifth goal of the season with 51 seconds to play. Ballmert's second helper of the night increased her team-high point total to 12 (four goals, four assists).
Catawba finished the match with a 19-15 edge in shots, while each team had three corner kicks. The Indians were called for 18 fouls to 17 by the Pioneers, with Tusculum being flagged five times for offsides to once by Catawba. Breen finished with six saves in her first career start for the Pioneers, while Thompson had seven saves for the Indians.
Tusculum will open the final week of the regular season on Wednesday at 4 p.m. at Pioneer Field with a non-conference match against nationally-ranked Columbus State.
