GREENEVILLE, Tenn. — A three-goal outburst over a span of five minutes early in the second half helped Tusculum University to a 6-1 victory over Mars Hill University in South Atlantic Conference women’s soccer Saturday afternoon at Pioneer Field.
Carme Escamilla scored a pair of goals, Addison Rishling had a goal and an assist and Wilma Axelsson tied a program single-game record with three assists for the Pioneers (4-4-1, 2-1-1 SAC), who outshot the Lions (1-7-0, 0-5-0 SAC) by a 22-6 margin.
Axelsson assisted on goals from Escamilla, Rishling and Mackenzie Ivy to become the 10th player in program history to record three assists in a match, and the first since Taylor Youmans at King on August 25, 2022. Axelsson is the first Pioneer with three assists in a conference match since Elaine Green against Newberry on October 12, 2001.
Marin Wills and Ivy each collected their first career goals in the victory, while Sydney Grant came through with her fifth goal of the season and 18th of her career early in the second half.
The six goals for Tusculum are the most in a game for the Pioneers since a 7-0 win at King in 2022, and the most in a conference match and in a home match since a 6-0 win over Coker on October 8, 2017.
Tusculum went up 1-0 at 6:32 as Wills came up with a turnover inside the Mars Hill 18, beat a defender and shot past Lions keeper Peyton Pierson.
In the 29th minute, Caroline Heintzelman sent a pass down the left side to Axelsson, who crossed for a flick by Escamilla past Pierson for her first goal as a Pioneer and a 2-0 Tusculum lead at 28:41.
Grant pushed the Tusculum lead to 3-0 at 47:38 as Hailey Silvestri sent a pass from the back to Rishling at midfield, who in turn slotted a pass for Grant between the defenders and past Pierson for her fifth goal of the season.
Rishling would get her third of the year at 51:16 as she collected a cross from Axelsson in the box and fired a shot past Pierson for a 4-0 Pioneer lead. Just over 90 seconds later, Ivy got on the board at 52:54 as she chipped a pass from Axelsson toward the far corner to give Tusculum a 5-0 lead.
Mars Hill made it three goals in just over two minutes when they were awarded a penalty kick for a handball in the box. Jenna Matzat was selected to take the penalty and converted to leave Tusculum with a 5-1 lead.
Escamilla scored her second of the day at 70:47 as a free kick from Heintzelman went to Escamilla in the box, and she put home the goal to close out the scoring.
Despite the lopsided goal and shot margins, Mars Hill had an 8-7 advantage in corner kicks over Tusculum. The Lions were whistled for 12 fouls to 11 for the Pioneers.
Noemie Tartrou played goal into the 70th minute for the Pioneers and had three saves, with Holly Cowan adding one save in the final 20 minutes. Pierson had five saves on the afternoon for the Lions.
Tusculum hosts Lees-McRae in a non-conference match on Wednesday, Oct. 8 at 5 p.m. at Pioneer Field. The Bobcats dropped to 4-5-1 overall and 0-4-1 on the road with a 2-0 setback at North Greenville on Saturday.
