GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- Two goals midway through the second half lifted Lenoir-Rhyne University to a 2-0 victory over Tusculum University in South Atlantic Conference women's soccer action Saturday afternoon at Pioneer Field.
The Bears (2-1-1, 2-0-0 SAC) scored in the 63rd and 77th minutes and outshot the Pioneers (3-1-0, 0-1-0 SAC) by an 11-5 margin in the contest. Tusculum had four shots on goal in the match while Lenoir-Rhyne had five, but Bears keeper S.A. Phillips stopped all of the Pioneer attempts to earn her second straight shutout.
Neve Duston gave the Bears a 1-0 lead at 62:28 off a Pioneer turnover in the defensive end, while Ria Acton added an insurance goal on a penalty kick at 76:10. Lenoir-Rhyne also had an 7-1 advantage in corner kicks in the match. Tusculum, which was off to its first 3-0 start since 2004, entered the week ranked eighth in the Southeast Region in the initial United Soccer Coaches Division II regional rankings of the season.
Neither team had a shot attempt until the 27th minute, when Duston shot wide to the left from the top of the box. Tusculum keeper Grayson Patterson made her first save in the 31st minute on a chip attempt by the Bears' Evan O'Leary from the left side.
Tusculum's first shot attempt came in the 37th minute, as Taylor Youmans beat a defender in the box but could only roll an attempt to Phillips from about 15 yards away. The Bears would misfire on two more shot attempts in the half, while Tusculum's second and final shot of the half came on a free kick from 50 yards by Marje Enste that was pulled in on the fly by Phillips.
In the second half, Tusculum's Emma Whitaker chipped a shot from the top of the box over the crossbar in the 49th minute, while Lenoir-Rhyne missed on a 25-yard shot by Carola Busqueta in the 50th minute and a short attempt from Elin Hansson in the 53rd minute. Tusculum had another shot on goal in the 60th minute, but Enste's long free kick from the left wing was caught by Phillips.
The Bears would pounce on a Tusculum turnover at 62:28 as Duston collected a loose ball at the top of the box, and beat Patterson to the far post for her first goal of the season and a 1-0 Lenoir-Rhyne lead.
Lenoir-Rhyne's advantage would extend to 2-0 at 76:10 as Acton was taken down in the box and awarded a penalty kick, which she converted for the seventh time in as many career attempts.
From there, the Lenoir-Rhyne defense would allow just one more shot, as Tusculum's Joey Garrett rolled the ball to Phillips from 35 yards away with 3:20 remaining. Patterson would make two more saves for the Pioneers, stopping Abbie Biddle from 15 yards in the 79th minute and Vivian Jones on a header with just under five minutes to play.
Patterson finished with three saves in goal for the Pioneers, who were called for 11 fouls to 12 by the Bears and were booked three times in the match. Lenoir-Rhyne was flagged for offsides twice while Tusculum did not receive any offsides calls against them.
Tusculum will step back out of conference play to host Alabama Huntsville on Wednesday, Sept. 14 at 5 p.m. at Pioneer Field. The Chargers will carry a 1-2-1 record into a home match against Spring Hill on Sunday.
