GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- Roberto Pimentel scored two goals to lead the Tusculum College men's soccer team to a 4-1 South Atlantic Conference win over Newberry College on a rainy and cold Senior Night at Pioneer Field.
With the victory, the Pioneers (9-6-2, 5-4-2 SAC) secure a berth into next week's SAC Tournament while also clinching a winning season. Newberry (6-9-2, 3-6-2 SAC) has its season come to an end with the loss.
TC looked to be heading into the scoring column early in the match when Newberry's Quincy Kroeschell was called for a handball violation in the Tusculum penalty area 56 seconds into the contest. But Newberry keeper stopped Mark Patterson's penalty shot as he dove off to his left to make the save.
Tusculum broke through in the 26th minute as senior Matias Rubio long range blast was blocked at the top of the box, but Pimentel came up with the rebound and shot from 22 yards away into the top right corner of the net for his ninth goal of the season.
Newberry vended off several Tusculum scoring chances, then got one of its own in the 40th minute. Bennett Murphy got off a shot from 12 yards out that caromed off the left post. But he gathered in the rebound and flicked in the ball with the back of his foot that snuck inside the near post for the equalizer.
In the second half, TC got another opportunity when Andres Kvam sprinted into the right side of the box and sent a crossing pass to the front of the goal to Pimentel, but his one-timer hit the crossbar in the 54th minute as the score remained tied at 1-1.
Kvam broke up the tie at the 55:23 mark as he slipped by a defender and scored on the break one-on-one with the keeper to the top half of the shelf for his sixth goal of the year and a 2-1 lead for the Pioneers.
Pimentel added an insurance goal in the 84th minute as he took advantage of a turnover in the middle of the field from 40 yards away. Pimentel took the loose ball and flicked it high in the air over the head of Lucido for a 3-1 Tusculum advantage. For Pimentel, it was his 10th goal of the year as he is now tied for the SAC lead in that category.
Senior Mason Fox closed out the scoring with his goal in the 89th minute to provide the final margin of victory.
Tusculum out-shot the Wolves by a 21-9 margin, including 13 -2 in shots on goal. Alvarez picked up the victory as he posted one save. Lucido finished with eight saves on the night for Newberry.
The Pioneers have posted a 6-1-1 record in its last eight matches, including a three-match winning streak. During that run, Pimenetel has scored eight goals during that span, including two goals in three of those contests.
Friday was the final home match for Pimentel, Mark Patterson, Mason Fox, Adam Kulbat and Matias Rubio and Juan Avendano.
Tusculum will be on the road for a SAC Tournament quarterfinal match this Tuesday. Official seeding and tournament pairings will be announced by the league office later this weekend.
- TC -
