WILMORE, Ky. --- Rosy Wodhams finished with a goal and an assist as Tusculum University defeated Asbury University 2-0 in non-conference women's soccer action Wednesday afternoon.
Bailey Bylotas also scored for the Pioneers (9-3-3), who were credited with a 31-2 shot advantage over the Eagles (3-11-2) in extending their unbeaten streak to seven matches (5-0-2). The seven consecutive matches without a loss for Tusculum is the longest since going undefeated in eight matches (7-0-1) during the 2016 season.
The Pioneers also improved their road record to 5-1-2 and finished their non-conference slate with a perfect 6-0-0 record, outscoring their opponents by a 20-3 margin with four shutouts in their six non-league victories.
The Pioneers had several shot attempts in the opening 20 minutes, but did not have their first dangerous opportunity until the 21st minute when Bylotas rifled a shot just wide of the near post from 15 yards. In the 24th minute, Taylor Youmans broke down the right side but her shot attempt was smothered by Asbury keeper Maliya Crump.
The Pioneers went up 1-0 at 33:06 as Wodhams played a pass out to Chayse Stonebraker, who lofted a pass to Bylotas at the top of the box where she volleyed a shot past Crump to the far side for her third goal of the season.
Asbury gave up the first 11 shots of the match before taking its first attempt just after the Bylotas goal, but the try from Mary Hostetter missed just wide of the far post.
Brianna Garcia nearly gave Tusculum a 2-0 lead in the 38th minute as she collected a throw-in from Laila Pitt and went in alone on Crump, who kicked away the shot attempt. Bylotas would follow up with just under six minutes left with a shot that went wide of the near side, and Stonebraker was stopped with just under four minutes remaining.
Asbury earned its first corner kick with just under three minutes to go in the half, and Holynn Crager put a loose ball on goal that was grabbed by Tusculum keeper Grayson Patterson for her lone save of the afternoon.
Tusculum had the first shot attempt of the second half just over a minute in as Wodhams collected a loose ball at the top of the box, but Crump cradled the attempt. Bylotas had another opportunity off a Youmans cross in the 49th minute, but Crump tipped the shot over the crossbar and then denied Wodhams on a header off the ensuing corner kick.
The Pioneers went up 2-0 in the 61st minute as Wodhams hit the crossbar off a corner kick from Marja Enste, but got a second chance as the ball came to Youmans, who passed to Enste for a service into the box that Wodhams gathered and shot to the far post for her sixth of the season at 60:55.
Tusculum nearly tacked on a third goal in the 77th minute, but the Eagles' Hannah Muncie was able to slide and clear a shot from the Pioneers' Wilma Axelsson off the line. The Pioneers kept up the pressure in the final minutes and nearly earned a penalty in the closing seconds.
In addition to their 31-2 shot advantage, the Pioneers had a 10-2 edge in corner kicks over the Eagles. Asbury was whistled for eight fouls to three for Tusculum, and the Pioneers were flagged three times for offsides.
Asbury's keeper Crump was credited with 18 saves in the match, while Patterson had just the one save in notching her sixth shutout of the season and fourth in the last six matches. Patterson's six shutouts are the most for a Tusculum keeper since Miriah Martin had nine during the 2016 season, and are tied for ninth-most in a single season in program history.
Tusculum will resume its South Atlantic Conference schedule on Saturday, Oct. 22 at Wingate beginning at 2 p.m. The Bulldogs (8-3-3, 3-3-3 SAC) are tied for sixth place in the SAC standings with the Pioneers and with Newberry.
