GREENEVILLE, Tenn. — Evan O’Leary scored the winning goal on a free kick with 13:34 remaining in the second half as ninth-ranked Lenoir-Rhyne University rallied for a 2-1 victory over Tusculum University in South Atlantic Conference women’s soccer Saturday at Pioneer Field.
The Bears (10-1-4, 8-0-2 SAC) trailed 1-0 at halftime but got the tying goal 2 1/2 minutes into the second half from Ava Hartman. O’Leary then converted from 20 yards out and the Bears were able to run out the clock on the Pioneers (4-10-1, 2-7-1 SAC).
Despite the loss, Tusculum goalkeeper Noemie Tartrou was stellar in goal as she finished with 17 saves, tied for the second-most in a game in program history and one behind the record of 18 saves set by Whitney Wardrop against Carson-Newman on Nov. 4, 2005.
Tusculum scored on its first shot attempt at 12:54 when a corner kick from Alexis Roessler was headed toward the goal by Sydney Grant. A Lenoir-Rhyne defender tried to play the ball out, but it bounced off Stokes to her feet and she beat Bears keeper Riley Miller for her second goal of the season.
The Bears pressed the Pioneer defense for much of the half, forcing Tartrou to make nine saves. Four of her saves came off attempts from O’Leary, including a leaping punch over the crossbar, and Tartrou came out to smother an attempt by Emerson Talley at the top of the box in the 37th minute.
Lenoir-Rhyne got the equalizer at 47:28 as a quick pass to the left side from O’Leary to Talley was played back to the middle to Hartman, who took one dribble and shot home her seventh goal of the season.
Tartrou continued to pile up the saves, going up to stop Rosa Gonzalez in the 56th minute and down for a save on Talley in the 62nd minute. Tusculum nearly took advantage of a misplay in the back to regain the lead in the 65th minute, but Addison Rishling just missed the near post as Miller tried to recover.
The Bears went ahead 2-1 in the 77th minute as a free kick was awarded a few yards outside the box. O’Leary then stepped up and blasted a shot to the far side past Tartrou for her fifth goal of the season.
Lenoir-Rhyne would possess the ball for nearly the entire final five minutes, continually stalling in the offensive corners and on the sidelines before kicking the ball off a Tusculum defender to earn throw-ins.
The Bears finished with a 26-6 shot advantage over the Pioneers, and had a 10-4 edge in corner kicks. Tusculum was whistled for 11 fouls to five for Lenoir-Rhyne, and the Bears were flagged twice for offsides.
Tusculum will host Carson-Newman in the final game of the regular season on Wednesday, Nov. 6 at 5 p.m. at Pioneer Field. Both the Pioneers and Eagles (5-6-3, 2-5-3 SAC) need a win to have any chance of qualifying for the SAC Championship Tournament, which begins Saturday, Nov. 9.
