GAFFNEY, S.C. --- Selina Boveleth and Azumi Manriki scored two goals apiece in the first half to lift Limestone University to a 4-0 victory over Tusculum University in South Atlantic Conference women's soccer action Wednesday evening.
Boveleth's two goals came in a span of 26 seconds in the first half, and Manriki added her brace 13 minutes apart late in the opening half for the Saints (9-2-1, 5-2-1 SAC), who outshot the Pioneers (3-11-0, 2-6-0 SAC) by a 30-3 margin.
Tusculum freshman keeper Brooklynn Hudgins entered the match in the 40th minute and kept the Saints off the scoreboard the rest of the evening, finishing with eight saves on 18 shots against.
The first shot on goal of the match came in the 10th minute, as the Saints' Sarah Schwaninger redirected a pass from long range that was grabbed by Pioneer starting keeper Emma Harriman.
Limestone went up 1-0 at 19:50 as Manriki collected a loose ball and passed to the top of the box to Boveleth, whose arching shot went off the post and in for her fifth goal of the season. Boveleth would make it 2-0 just 26 seconds later as she collected a cross from Katrina Yencer and slid the ball to the far post at 20:16.
Manriki made it 3-0 Limestone at 25:23 as she gathered the ball at the top of the box and sent a rising line drive that went off the fingertips of Harriman and into the goal for her third of the season.
Tusculum had its first shot attempt in the 28th minute, but Kenzie Ellenburg just missed the far post on a shot from 25 yards. Limestone had a good chance at the 30th minute, but Harriman cradled a header from Abbie Iddenden off a Saints corner kick. Harriman added a save from a sharp angle against Manriki in the 32nd minute, and another stop on Iddenden from 25 yards on a dive in the 36th minute.
The Saints had a strong chance in the 38th minute off a corner kick, but Tusculum defender Yvette Raaijen was able to clear away a shot from Limestone's Ellie Fleming.
The Saints would push their lead to 4-0 at 38:30 as Manriki unloaded a shot from just outside the box and skipped it to the far post for her second of the match. Limestone finished the first half with a 14-1 advantage in shots over Tusculum.
In the second half, Hudgins made her first save in relief as she collected a bouncer from Boveleth in the 48th minute. Iddenden had a break down the right side in the 51st minute, but shot just wide of the near post.
In the 58th minute, Hudgins made a leaping stop to deflect a blast from Boveleth over the crossbar. She made another stop on a try from long range on Manriki in the 59th minute, with the Tusculum defense able to clear the rebound.
Tusculum's first shot on goal came in the 67th minute, as a ball off the line went to Julianne Fox, but her shot from an angle was pulled in by Limestone backup keeper Taylin Jean, who came in at halftime for starter Katie Maher.
Meanwhile, Hudgins continued to add to her save total as she stopped Manriki in the 68th minute, collected a one-timer from 15 yards by Schwaninger in the 73rd minute and smothered a shot wide from Alecia Simmons in the 75th minute. Hudgins tacked on another save in the 82nd minute as she corralled a shot from the Saints' Emily Bozard, then thwarted Hannah Luke from distance in the 88th minute.
Tusculum appeared to have broken through with 2 1/2 minutes left, but the Pioneers were ruled offsides just as Kaitlyn Watson one-timed a free kick from Raaijen inside the far post.
In addition to their 30-3 edge in shots, the Saints had a 9-1 edge in corner kicks in the match. Both teams were flagged twice for offsides.
Tusculum will return to the road to face Wingate on Saturday at 4 p.m. The Bulldogs (7-4-0, 4-4-0 SAC) have won five straight matches to move into seventh place in the conference standings.
