CHARLOTTE, N.C. --- Queens University of Charlotte defeated Tusculum University 3-1 in the quarterfinals of the 2021 South Atlantic Conference Spring Women's Soccer Championship tournament Monday night at Dickson Field.
Taylor Ward, Nia Gaither and Emily Beach scored for the second-seeded Royals (6-1-1), who advance to play Limestone in the semifinals on Thursday night. Brianna Garcia scored the only goal of the night for the Pioneers (2-5-2), who were seeded seventh in the eight-team field.
The Royals outshot the Pioneers 16-6, including a 10-4 margin in the second half. Goals by Ward and Gaither gave Queens a 2-0 lead, and Beach added an insurance goal about 5 1/2 minutes after Garcia cut the deficit to 2-1 midway through the second half.
Manuel had the first scoring chance in the opening minute of play, but shot just high of the Pioneer goal. Karen Juarez nearly put the Royals on the board in the 19th minute, but her shot went off the post.
Queens went up 1-0 at 19:10 as Ward took a through ball from Manuel and beat Tusculum keeper Cece Mortensen to the far post from 15 yards out. The lead stood to halftime, with the Royals outshooting the Pioneers by a 6-2 margin.
The Royals took a 2-0 lead with 31:14 remaining as a cross from the far right by Hilda Svensson came to Gaither in front, and she found position and beat Mortensen.
Tusculum cut the deficit to 2-1 at 64:44 as a long feed from the right side by Brooke Radcliffe went to Garcia, who put home her third goal of the season on Radcliffe's team-high fourth assist of the year. The goal was just the third allowed in eight matches by the Royals and snapped a scoreless streak of more than 430 minutes by the Queens defense.
Queens regained a two-goal lead at 70:15 as a chip to the top of the box was mishandled, and Alyssa Edwards tracked down the ball and fed Beach for a high shot over Mortensen.
Tusculum would put three shots on goal in an effort to get on the board, but Queens keeper Erica Turner made saves on Garcia in the 74th minute, Tina Haig in the 78th minute and Katlyn Jones in the final minute of play.
Both Turner and Mortensen finished the match with four saves.
