GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- Tusculum University nearly erased a four-goal deficit in the final 7 1/2 minutes, but fell 5-4 to Newberry College in South Atlantic Conference men's soccer action Saturday at Pioneer Field.
The Pioneers (1-7-1, 0-5-1 SAC) trailed 5-1 following a goal by the Wolves' Andrew Gallagher with 7:31 left, but got goals from Lucas Romeiro, Ignacio Alconchel and Pedro Concheso to cut the margin to 5-4 before time expired. The teams combined for six goals in the second half after Newberry (2-9-0, 2-4-0 SAC) carried a 2-1 lead to halftime.
Concheso finished with a goal and two assists for the Pioneers, who also received a goal from Damien Baltide in the first half which tied the match at 1-1. Harry McDonnell scored a goal and an assist for the Wolves and Daniel Villalobos had two assists for Newberry, which received its five goals from five different players.
Tusculum outshot Newberry 16-12 in the match and the teams combined for 39 fouls, including 25 during the second half. Newberry keeper Pablo Cubas made four saves before being sent off with a straight red card with 3:20 left, while Bruno De Freitas played the first 77 minutes and had five saves for the Pioneers.
The nine combined goals were the most in a match for the Pioneers since a 6-3 win at Catawba on Oct. 19, 2019, and the most in a home match since Tusculum defeated Newberry 7-2 on Sept. 29, 2007. Tusculum had not scored four goals in a defeat since a 5-4 overtime setback to Lander on Sept. 1, 2001.
Newberry had the first good scoring chance in the ninth minute, but De Freitas came off his line to deflect wide a shot by the Wolves' Henok Awoke. The Wolves would go up 1-0 at 11:38 as a long throw from Villalobos went off the head of McDonnell to TJ Paul in front, who scored his second goal of the season.
The Wolves maintained the pressure, forcing De Freitas to make saves on Moses Bakabulindi in the 17th minute and Noah Vezzu in the 19th minute. Tusculum would find the equalizer on its first shot on goal at 24:56, which occurred when Concheso stole a misplayed back pass from Cubas and delivered a short pass to Baltide, who had an open net for his first goal of the season and a 1-1 deadlock.
A collision in the box in the 30th minute resulted in a penalty kick for Newberry, and McDonnell stepped up and shot opposite De Freitas for his first goal of the season and a 2-1 Wolves lead at 29:18. Tusculum had a couple looks for the tie following McDonnell's goal, but Cubas tipped a header by Alejandro De Mingo over the crossbar in the 33rd minute and Alconchel shot wide off a cross in the 34th minute.
In the second half, Newberry extended its lead to 3-1 as a free kick to the box was headed by Villalobos off De Freitas and off the goalpost, but Vezzu was in position to score on the rebound at 55:34 for his second goal of the season. Tusculum looked to get its offense going, but Levi Vasconcelos headed a ball wide in the 60th minute and De Mingo put a header on Cubas in the 68th minute.
Newberry would go up 4-1 at 68:08 as Bakabulindi drew De Freitas off his line and crossed back in front to Uriel Zarracan, who had the whole net to deposit his first of the season. Gallagher gave the Wolves a 5-1 lead at 82:29 as a cross from Dan Stryffler went to Gallagher and his shot beat Tusculum backup keeper Rayane El Mehdi.
Tusculum's offense then erupted, starting just 23 seconds after Gallagher's goal as a cross from Concheso went off the goalpost and landed in front for Romeiro, who knocked home his first of the season at 82:52 to start the Pioneer comeback. With 3:20 left, Cubas was carded for a hard foul in the box, resulting in a penalty kick which Alconchel put home past new keeper Lockie Maher to cut the margin to 5-3.
Concheso would bring Tusculum within 5-4 as a free kick by Rodrigo Pascual was muffed by Maher in the box, and Concheso put it home at the post with two seconds remaining for his first goal of the season.
Tusculum finished the match with a 9-5 advantage in corner kicks over Newberry, while the Wolves were flagged three times for offsides.
The Pioneers will be back in action when they visit Limestone on Wednesday, Oct. 13 at 7:30 p.m.
