YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. --- Two second-half goals propelled Tusculum University to a 2-1 victory over Young Harris College in non-conference women's soccer action Sunday afternoon.
Brianna Garcia scored the tying goal in the 57th minute and assisted on the winning goal from Rosy Wodhams 12 minutes later as the Pioneers (2-0-0) opened the season with consecutive wins for the first time since 2007. The Pioneers outshot the Mountain Lions (0-2-0) by a 14-7 margin in the match.
Tusculum had the first scoring opportunity just over two minutes into the match off a Young Harris turnover, but Taylor Youmans' shot missed wide to the short side. The Pioneers had the first shot on goal in the 13th minute as a try by Joey Garrett following a corner kick was stopped by Mountain Lions' keeper Havyn Isaac.
The Pioneers had a golden opportunity to go up 1-0 as a beautiful through ball by Wilma Axelsson sprung Youmans at the top of the box. She eluded Isaac at about 15 yards and had a clear look as a defender closed, but Youmans missed the target to the near side.
Axelsson had a chance of her own from the top of the box in the 31st minute off a loose ball, but her volley from 15 yards chipped over the crossbar. Chayse Stonebraker nearly converted another Young Harris turnover in the 38th minute, but her quick shot from 25 yards soared over the crossbar.
After being outplayed for the first 44 minutes, Young Harris scored on its only shot of the first half with 41 seconds left. A cross by the Mountain Lions' Jhena Ellerbe caromed off Madison Knight to Alexis Scarpinato at the top of the box, and she bounced a shot past a screened Pioneer keeper Grayson Patterson for a 1-0 Young Harris lead.
The Pioneers forced a corner kick in the 52nd minute as Garcia had a clean look from 12 yards, but Isaac got a hand on the ball and steered it over the goal. On the ensuing corner, Emma Whitaker got a foot on a loose ball but saw her attempt go over the net.
Tusculum finally struck paydirt and tied the game at 56:54 as Garcia gathered a pass from Sydney Grant, turned with three defenders on her and rolled a shot past Isaac to the far post for her second goal of the season. Grant nearly put the Pioneers up 2-1 four minutes later after receiving a brilliant cross-field pass from Stonebraker, but her one-on-one with Isaac ended with the Young Harris keeper knocking the shot down and controlling.
The Pioneers caught a break in the 65th minute when the Mountain Lions' Scarpinato was shown a straight red card for dissent, and Tusculum needed just four minutes to take a 2-1 lead. A free kick from Marja Enste went in front to Garcia, whose header off the post went right to Wodhams and she knocked home her second of the year at 68:41.
Playing 10 on 11 on a hot and humid day, the Mountain Lions could do little else but send long shots toward the Pioneer goal. A pair of chances from Thea Juul went wide in the 71st and 78th minutes, and a long range chance on target by Tess Preston in the 80th minute was directly at Patterson.
Young Harris had one final chance with 32 seconds to play after being awarded a free kick, but the shot from Cicilie Pedersen was caught by Patterson and the Pioneers ran out the clock.
Patterson finished the afternoon with two saves for the Pioneers, while Isaac had four stops for the Mountain Lions. Young Harris was called for 13 fouls to six by Tusculum, and the Mountain Lions were flagged four times for offsides compared to two for the Pioneers. Tusculum also had a 5-1 edge in corner kicks.
Tusculum will aim for its first 3-0-0 start since 2004 when the Pioneers host West Alabama in their home opener on Friday, Sept. 2 at 3:30 p.m. at Pioneer Field. The Tigers will enter Friday's game at 1-1 after losing their season opener 3-0 to Columbus State on Friday before blanking Edward Waters 5-0 on Sunday.
