GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum University women's soccer team will be on the road for three matches as it begins the first full week of the 2019 season.
The Pioneers opened their campaign with a 1-0 loss at Bellarmine on Saturday and will visit Young Harris on Tuesday evening at 7 p.m. before a weekend swing to Florida to face Barry and Nova Southeastern.
RECAPPING THE WEEK
Tusculum was outshot 23-5 by Bellarmine on Saturday, and a goal in the 38th minute stood up as the winner for the Knights. Tusculum's defense played tighter than the final shot total indicated, allowing just two shots on goal in the second half and eight for the contest.
Junior Cecilie Ting Mortensen had a solid debut in goal for the Pioneers. The transfer from LSU Alexandria finished the contest with seven saves, with five of them in the opening half.
Juniors Brooke Radcliffe and Jamila Thombs led Tusculum with two shots apiece, with Radcliffe providing the only shot on goal late in the first half.
LOOKING AHEAD
Young Harris is off to an 0-2 start, losing 2-1 at home to West Georgia on Thursday and falling 3-1 at Carson-Newman on Sunday. Aimee Dunn had the only goal for the Mountain Lions against West Georgia, scoring in the 37th minute, but the visitors tallied in the 60th and 77th minutes to come away with the win. At Carson-Newman, the 21st-ranked Eagles went up 3-0 by the 30th minute, with the Mountain Lions breaking through in the 67th minute on a goal from Juliana Alarcon.
The Pioneers and Mountain Lions have played once previously, finishing in a 2-2 draw on Oct. 13, 2011 at Young Harris. The Mountain Lions finished 6-9-1 overall last year and were sixth in the Peach Belt Conference at 4-6-0.
After Tuesday's match at Young Harris, the Pioneers will fly to South Florida to face Barry on Friday at 6 p.m. and Nova Southeastern on Sunday at noon.
Barry, ranked 20th in the United Soccer Coaches poll to start the season, lost its season opener to Queens on Saturday by a score of 2-1 in a match played on the campus of Embry-Riddle in Daytona Beach. Barry fell behind 1-0 in the first half but tied the score early in the second half on a goal from Ellen Cederin. However, an own goal against Barry with 4:32 remaining gave Queens the win.
The Bucs remain in Daytona Beach to play Columbus State on Monday afternoon before returning to Miami Shores for their first meeting with the Pioneers since 2009. The teams have each won once and played a draw, which came in the only previous meeting at Barry on Sept. 1, 2006.
Nova Southeastern has earned two lopsided victories over NAIA opponents Florida National and Florida Memorial, beating FNU 7-0 in their season opener on Thursday and blasting FMU 15-0 on Saturday. Nova Southeastern scored 11 goals in the first half against Florida Memorial and outshot the Lions 54-3. Hannah Christophe had five goals in the first 32 minutes, giving her six for the season.
The Sharks play Johnson & Wales on Wednesday night at home before hosting the Pioneers on Sunday for the fourth all-time meeting between the schools. Tusculum beat Nova Southeastern, then ranked 24th in Division II, by a 3-2 score in Greeneville last season. The teams split their other two meetings in 2011 and 2012, both played at Georgia College on a neutral field.
Links to live stats and video for Tusculum University athletic events can be found through tusculumpioneers.com.
