GREENEVILLE, Tenn. — Tusculum University scored a goal in each half and defeated Southern Wesleyan University 2-0 in non-conference men’s soccer Wednesday evening at Pioneer Field.
Luka Slankamenac scored in the 32nd minute and Andrew Eneme added an insurance goal in the 86th minute for the Pioneers (1-2-0), while Gavin Roux had six saves to earn his first shutout for Tusculum.
The Pioneers outshot the Warriors (2-3-0) by a 14-8 margin, and Roux was seldom tested until the final 2 1/2 minutes when he made three saves in a span of 45 seconds.
Tusculum opened the scoring in the 32nd minute as a free kick from Matthew Davies from near midfield was headed along in the box by Juan Diego Corral, and Slankamenac collected and beat SWU keeper Luke Bramblett to the far side for his first goal of the season.
Roux would be tested in the 39th minute, but he was able to stop a shot from Jacob Zuniga on a dive to the right to keep the Pioneers up 1-0. The Pioneers looked to add to their lead late in the first half, but Bramblett stopped a free kick from Slankamenac and a deflected shot from Davies in the 44th minute.
Tusculum nearly went up 2-0 in the 52nd minute, but a shot from a sharp angle by Nicholas Slewion bounded just wide of the far post. In the 54th minute, Zeljko Stanojevic fired a free kick from 20 yards that Bramblett punched away, and in the 71st minute a shot from Carlos Perez was saved by a diving Bramblett, with the rebound attempt from Sebastian Mogollon deflected wide of the target by sliding defender David Leo Lund.
The Pioneers finally found breathing room with 4:49 left as Enchill came up with a turnover and led Eneme into the box, where he used a second touch to beat Bramblett for his first of the season and a 2-0 Tusculum advantage.
Southern Wesleyan kept up the pressure and nearly found the net in the closing moments, but Roux stopped Michael Boyle off a corner kick and then added consecutive stops on Ramon Smith Estrada and Sebastian Zumbado.
Bramblett finished with four saves for the Warriors, who also had a 5-3 advantage in corner kicks over the Pioneers. Tusculum was called for 13 fouls to nine for Southern Wesleyan, with the Warriors receiving two of the three cards.
The Pioneers open their South Atlantic Conference schedule on Saturday, Sept. 12 at Coker beginning at 3:30 p.m. The Cobras have dropped two in a row since opening the season with a victory, including a 3-2 loss at Anderson on Sunday in their league opener.
