JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. — Antoine Torrent scored with 4:14 left in the second half to give Carson-Newman University a 2-1 victory over Tusculum University in South Atlantic Conference men’s soccer Wednesday evening at McCown Field.
On the final day of the regular season, the teams traded first-half goals and seemed headed toward a draw that would have eliminated both squads from the conference tournament. However, Torrent cashed in on a corner kick to lift the Eagles (3-9-3, 3-6-1 SAC) over the Pioneers (5-9-1, 2-7-1) in a contest that had 11 cards, including four after the final whistle.
Mason Clark continued his strong finish to the season for the Pioneers, scoring Tusculum’s lone goal to give him a team-high six for the season — all in conference play — and five goals in the final six matches. In those six matches, Clark was involved in six of Tusculum’s eight goals with five goals and an assist.
Carson-Newman outshot Tusculum by a 20-11 margin, with Donovan Cobb making five saves for the Pioneers in his first start of the season. Elijah Buford had three saves in goal for the Eagles.
Tusculum had the first shot attempt in the eighth minute, but a header from Filippo Canaletich was caught by a jumping Buford.
Carson-Newman opened the scoring on its first shot at 13:23, when a pass from Lucas Trull to Rhydian Williams at the top of the box was sent to the top corner past Cobb for his second goal of the season.
Cobb came up with a clutch save in the 17th minute as he lunged to his right to deflect a shot from Mitchell Honcoop. Tim Haans nearly gave the Eagles a 2-0 lead in the 19th minute, but his try went off the goalpost. Cobb would add two more saves in the half on attempts by Torrent in the 28th minute and Williams in the 35th.
Clark tied the score at 38:38 as a perfect pass from Jean Grah put Clark behind the defense, and he beat Buford to the far post for his sixth of the year for the Pioneers.
Tusculum appeared to go up 2-1 in the 50th minute as a long free kick from Hugo Le Floch went to the head of Canaletich, who beat Buford but was flagged for offsides. Carlos Perez had a good chance on a header in the 75th minute, but Buford was able to make the save.
Carson-Newman had two great looks in the 76th minute, but a shot from Ben Dukes went off the post and Cobb was able to stop the rebound attempt by Thomas Lachapelle. Perez had another opportunity for the Pioneers in the 81st minute off a corner kick, but Buford got a hand on the shot and collected the loose ball.
With time running down, the Eagles earned a corner kick and got the winning goal when Honcoop sent the ball in front and Torrent found it in the scramble and put home his third of the season for a 2-1 Carson-Newman lead at 85:46.
Tusculum would earn a corner of its own in the final minute, but a shot attempt from Clark went wide of the target. Carson-Newman had an insurance goal from Haans in the final five seconds waved off for offsides, leaving the final score at 2-1.
Carson-Newman had eight corner kicks to three for Tusculum, and the Eagles were called for 15 fouls to nine for the Pioneers.
