WINGATE, N.C. --- Alicia Rubio Garcia scored two goals in a span of 2 1/2 minutes in the first half to lead Wingate University to a 3-0 win over Tusculum University in South Atlantic Conference women's soccer action Saturday afternoon.
Garcia scored in the 23rd and 25th minutes for the Bulldogs (8-5-0, 5-4-0 SAC), who received a goal and an assist from McKenna DeLong. The Bulldogs outshot the Pioneers (3-12-0, 2-7-0 SAC) by a 27-6 margin for the match, including a 15-0 margin in the first half as Wingate built a 2-0 lead at intermission.
Katrine Thisgaard made two saves to earn the shutout for Wingate, while Tusculum freshman keeper Brooklynn Hudgins had nine saves in her first career start.
Hudgins made her first save of the afternoon in the third minute as she stopped a blast from distance by Wingate's Morgan Zanardi. Hudgins was able to smother a shot from DeLong in the 19th minute, then stopped a two-bouncer off the foot of Nicole Cristy in the 21st minute.
Wingate would grab the 1-0 lead at 22:22 as a feed from the left side by Zanardi rolled through the box and was tapped in by Garcia for her fifth goal of the season. The Bulldogs would have a chance just over a minute later, but a high arching shot from Cristy was batted down on a leap by Hudgins.
Garcia would collect the brace at 24:51 as DeLong went to the end line and crossed to Garcia, who got position on the defense and tapped in her sixth of the year for a 2-0 Bulldogs lead.
DeLong nearly got a goal of her own in the 28th minute as a long service from the left side went to the far post, but DeLong's sliding shot caromed off the post and out of play. Garcia had an attempt for the hat trick in the 33rd minute, but her shot from the top of the box was easily collected by Hudgins.
Hudgins' final save of the first half came in the 42nd minute as she caught a shot from long range by Wingate's Caroline Peters. The final shot of the half from Wingate came in the final minute, as Kristen DeBiase headed a Peters corner kick well wide of the target.
In the second half, Peters had a clear shot from 15 yards in the 48th minute but rifled her attempt off target. Hudgins would continue to keep the Pioneers close as she stopped Peters from the top of the box in the 50th minute.
The Bulldogs would tack on their third goal at 58:29 as DeLong moved along the goal line and put a shot at a sharp angle past Hudgins for her fourth goal of the season. Hudgins would come right back in the 61st minute and make a kick save on a redirection from Brianna Ditillo.
Tusculum was credited for its first shot attempt in the 67th minute as Myah Giordullo carried the ball down the left side and fired the ball just wide of the far post. The Pioneers' first shot on goal was off the foot of Yvette Raaijen in the 69th minute, as her free kick from near midfield carried to Thisgaard in the Wingate goal.
The Pioneers' other shot on goal nearly put Tusculum on the scoreboard in the 74th minute, as a blast from distance by Joey Garrett went off the hands of Thisgaard, off the crossbar and back onto the ground in front of her.
Wingate finished the match with a 7-1 advantage in corner kicks, while both teams were whistled for eight fouls apiece.
Tusculum will play its final three matches of the regular season at home, starting on Wednesday at 4 p.m. against Columbus State. The Cougars are 14-1-1 overall and ranked 10th in the latest United Soccer Coaches Division II poll. Columbus State beat Georgia Southwestern 7-0 on Saturday to improve to 8-0-0 in the Peach Belt Conference.
