GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- For the first time in 2019, the Tusculum University women's soccer team will play on its home field as the Pioneers host Anderson on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. at Pioneer Field.
Tusculum will begin the week by traveling to Queens on Wednesday at 5 p.m. for a South Atlantic Conference match with the Royals, marking the end of a stretch of nine straight road matches to start the year. The Pioneers are 3-5-0 overall and 0-2-0 in the SAC following losses last week at fifth-ranked Lee and at Newberry.
RECAPPING THE WEEK
The Pioneers visited Lee to face the fifth-ranked Flames on Wednesday and lost by a score of 5-0. The Flames outshot the Pioneers 17-4 and led 3-0 at halftime before adding two goals in the final six minutes of the second half.
On Saturday, the Pioneers went to Newberry and fell to the Wolves 2-0. Newberry received goals in the 14th and 88th minutes and kept Tusculum off the board despite the Pioneers collecting 22 total shots and putting 13 on goal.
LOOKING AHEAD
Queens is at 5-3-1 overall and 1-2-0 in the SAC, and coming off a 4-1 loss at home to 16th-ranked Lenoir-Rhyne on Saturday which extended the Royals' winless streak to three matches (two losses, one draw). Queens has played three double-overtime matches so far this year, beating Clayton State 2-1 on Sept. 15, losing 1-0 at Lincoln Memorial on Sept. 21 and tying Francis Marion 0-0 on Sept. 25.
Nia Gaither has been the top scorer for the Royals with four goals in eight matches, including two game-winners. Lulu Phan has added three goals and two assists for the Royals, while Erica Turner has played every second in goal and ranks sixth in the SAC in both goals against average (1.16) and save percentage (.810).
The Pioneers beat the Royals 2-1 last season and have a 6-3-1 advantage in the all-time series with Queens.
Anderson begins the week tied with Queens and three other teams at 1-2 in the SAC, with an overall record of 3-3-0. The Trojans fell 1-0 to Carson-Newman on Saturday on a goal in the 69th minute, after beating Lander 1-0 on Wednesday behind a 32nd-minute goal from Kirsten Armetta.
The Trojans have scored just seven goals in six matches, led by three from Armetta and two by Gabbie Fleming. Madison Paige has been in goal for every minute and has a 1.33 goals against average and a save percentage of .778.
Tusculum and Anderson have met 14 times, with the Pioneers leading six wins to four for Anderson along with four ties, one of which was a 1-1 deadlock last season.
LEADER BOARD
Tina Haig is the lone Pioneer with two goals this season, with Brooke Radcliffe adding a goal and two assists. Radcliffe leads Tusculum with 10 shots attempts and Chelsea Sheerin has a team-high eight shots on goal. Cecilie Ting Mortensen has started seven matches in goal and has a 2.11 goals against average with 37 saves.
Links to live stats and video for Tusculum University athletic events can be found through tusculumpioneers.com.
