GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- Taylor Youmans scored with 9:09 remaining to give Tusculum University a 1-0 victory over Newberry College in South Atlantic Conference women's soccer action from Pioneer Field on Saturday.
The Pioneers honored seven senior members of the team prior to the game, but it was the freshman Youmans who delivered her sixth goal of the season on a brilliant strike as Tusculum (8-3-3, 3-3-3 SAC) extended its unbeaten streak to six matches (4-0-2) despite being outshot 15-8 by the Wolves (4-8-1, 3-5-0 SAC).
Youmans' goal was her third game-winner of the season and second in a 1-0 victory, having scored the lone goal against Alabama Huntsville on Sept. 14. Youmans has three goals and two assists during the Pioneers' six-match unbeaten streak, during which Tusculum has outscored its opponents by a 15-4 margin.
Newberry had the first five shot attempts of the match, including shots from Jacqueline Aldrete just past the first minute and from Becca Lipe in the 12th minute that forced Tusculum keeper Grayson Patterson to make saves. Tusculum's first shot came in the 17th minute on a chip attempt by Youmans from the top of the box that was grabbed by Newberry keeper Kalee Opalka.
The Wolves would have a 9-3 edge in shots over the Pioneers in the first half, and would send four more shots toward the Tusculum goal early in the second half after a volley from the Pioneers' Marja Enste was grabbed by Opalka. Patterson's save on a header by Newberry's Ariana Paez in the 58th minute would lead to a brief delay as her collision with the post would cause the crossbar to dislodge from its connection.
Each team would have a chance on a free kick in the middle portion of the second half, with Enste chipping high from just outside the box in the 72nd minute and Newberry's Rizza Songco being stopped from 40 yards by Patterson in the 78th minute.
With just over nine minutes to play, Youmans came up with the ball and fought through the Newberry defense, unleashing a shot from 20 yards that curled to the far top corner off the hands of a leaping Opalka and into the goal for a 1-0 Tusculum lead at 80:51.
The Wolves had just one more scoring chance, but it was a strong one as a shot from Vanessa Baird went off the goalpost from 10 yards away and caromed to Patterson with 3:30 left.
Both Opalka and Patterson finished with match with four saves, while Newberry had a 4-2 advantage in corner kicks. Tusculum was called for 12 fouls to 10 by Newberry in a caution-free match.
The Pioneers will play their final non-conference match of the season on Wednesday, Oct. 19 at 5 p.m. at Asbury. The Pioneers are 5-0-0 in non-conference play this season, and face an Eagles squad that is 3-10-2 overall while playing primarily a Division III slate.
