EMORY, Va. --- Rosy Wodhams scored a hat trick as Tusculum University defeated Emory & Henry College 5-1 in South Atlantic Conference women's soccer action Wednesday evening.
Wodhams scored in the 26th, 60th and 68th minutes to become the first Tusculum player with three goals in a match since Tramicka James against Saint Leo on Sept. 7, 2012.
Ella Funderburk and Brianna Garcia also scored for the Pioneers (7-3-3, 2-3-3 SAC), while Marja Enste had a pair of assists off corner kicks to help Tusculum extend its unbeaten streak to five matches (3-0-2). The Pioneers improved to 4-1-2 on the road by outshooting the Wasps (2-9-0, 0-8-0 SAC) by a 17-5 margin.
Lucy Dunlop scored the only goal for the Wasps, who had just two shots on goal in the match and surrendered 10 corner kicks to the Pioneers while taking four of their own, all in the first half.
Tusculum wasted little time taking a 1-0 lead, as a corner kick from Enste was headed in from 10 yards out by Funderburk for her first goal of the season at 1:10. The goal was set up by a shot from Taylor Youmans from close range that was knocked out of bounds by a diving Natalie Capone for the Wasps.
Emory & Henry would tie the score at 1-1 on their first shot of the game, as a corner kick from Grace Williams was played by Olivia Haynes to Dunlop, who headed the ball backwards into the goal for her first goal of the season at 23:03.
The Pioneers responded with two goals in a span of 88 seconds to take a 3-1 lead. Wodhams would break the brief deadlock at 25:43 as she collected a long service from Chayse Stonebraker at the top of the box, made a touch and beat Capone from 10 yards for her third goal of the year.
Garcia would stretch the lead to 3-1 at 27:11 after a long run down the right side by Youmans led to a cross to an open Garcia in front, who caught Capone off her line for her team-high sixth goal of the season.
The Pioneers nearly tacked on another goal in the latter stages of the half as Youmans carried the ball into the box from the left side, but her rising shot was grabbed by the Wasps' Capone.
Emory & Henry had the first shot on goal of the second half in the 58th minute, but a free kick from distance by Williams was pulled in by Tusculum keeper Grayson Patterson.
The Pioneers stretched their lead to 4-1 at 59:44 as Wodhams scored her second of the day and fourth of the season off a corner kick by Enste, which Wodhams headed past Capone.
Wodhams would complete the hat trick at 67:47 when she was taken down in the box by the Wasps' Elise Buonocore for a penalty, and beat Capone to her left for a 5-1 Tusculum lead.
Patterson, the reigning SAC Defensive Player of the Week, needed to make just one save in goal over the first 73 minutes for the Pioneers before yielding to Emily Metaschk, who did not face a shot in her 17 minutes of playing time. Capone finished with six saves for the Wasps.
Tusculum will return home to face Newberry on Saturday at 2 p.m. The Wolves (4-7-1, 3-4-0 SAC) are tied for seventh place in the SAC with the Pioneers, and have been idle since a 2-1 win over Coker on Oct. 5.
- TU -
