GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- Tusculum University and Lincoln Memorial University played to a 1-1 draw in South Atlantic Conference women's soccer action Wednesday evening at Pioneer Field.
Kenzie Ellenburg scored midway through the first half for the Pioneers (1-1-1, 1-0-1 SAC) and Rachel Taylor responded midway through the second half for the Railsplitters (1-0-1, 1-0-1 SAC). Lincoln Memorial outshot Tusculum 19-9 for the match including a 5-0 edge in overtime.
Tusculum goalkeeper Cece Mortensen finished with eight saves in the match, including a point-blank stop on Lincoln Memorial's Alda Torrado with 11 seconds left in the second overtime period. Meanwhile, Railsplitter keeper Emanuely Costa had three saves and just one after halftime.
The Pioneers had the first shot of the match one minute into the contest, but Cristina Iranzo shot high off a corner kick. Tarrado took the first shot on target in the 12th minute, but her attempt went directly to Mortensen. Ellenburg had the first attempt on goal for the Pioneers at the 20-minute mark, but her redirection from the top of the box was handled by Costa.
Tusculum finally broke through at 22:41 as a corner kick from Kaitlyn Watson found Ellenburg in the box, and her header beat Costa for a 1-0 Tusculum lead on the first of the year and fourth career goal for the senior. Neither team had a serious scoring chance for the rest of the half, with a header from Ellenburg wide of the post off a free kick in the 43rd minute coming closest.
Lincoln Memorial had three chances to tie the game early in the second half, as Taylor drove a shot from 15 yards off the top of the crossbar in the 54th minute, Graciela Palencia shot high after dribbling past several defenders in the 56th minute, and Taylor was smothered by Mortensen as she came out 10 yards for a loose ball in the 61st minute.
However, Taylor would get the equalizer at 61:20 as she shot from the top of the box and beat Mortensen to the far top corner for her second of the season and a 1-1 deadlock. LMU nearly grabbed a 2-1 lead with just over 14 minutes to play, but a shot from 20 yards by Jessica Cravero was stopped on a dive by Mortensen. Cravero was denied again on a lunge by Mortensen from 25 yards with just under five minutes left, and the teams would head to extra time.
Play was largely confined to the middle third for most of the first overtime period, until Taylor got a break down the left side with a minute to go and missed high at the near corner. Early in the second extra period, Taylor collected a loose ball and got behind Mortensen, but the Tusculum defense cut her off and she misfired from an angle. The Railsplitters had one last chance for the winner with under 20 seconds to go, as a cross was fumbled by Mortensen to Torrado, whose shot glanced off Mortensen and rolled wide.
Cravero and Taylor each had three shots on goal among their seven shot attempts for the Railsplitters, while Ellenburg had three of the Pioneers' four shots on goal and Watson added three shot attempts. LMU had a 16-15 edge in fouls, while both teams were issued two yellow cards.
Tusculum will resume its spring SAC schedule on Thursday, March 11 at 5 p.m. against Carson-Newman at Pioneer Field.
