GREENEVILLE, Tenn. — Tusculum University and Lincoln Memorial University played to a 0-0 draw in South Atlantic Conference women’s soccer Wednesday evening at Pioneer Field.
The Railsplitters (4-3-2, 1-2-1 SAC) outshot the Pioneers (3-4-1, 1-1-1 SAC) by an 18-13 margin, but Tusculum keeper Noemie Tartrou made a season-high 10 saves to earn her first shutout of the season and the second of her career. Emma Cooke had five saves to pick up her fourth shutout of the year and second in a row.
The 0-0 deadlock was the first for the Pioneers since Oct. 25, 2023 against Young Harris, and the first in conference play for Tusculum since Oct. 22, 2022 at Wingate.
Tartrou made seven of her 10 saves in the first half, including a sprawling stop on Hannah Stafford in the 12th minute and a pair of saves on Ava Garrett in the final 15 minutes of the half. The best chance for the Railsplitters in the first half came in the 23rd minute from Paige Branam as she was one-on-one against Tartrou, but just missed the far post.
Tusculum’s best scoring chances came in the second half, as Sydney Grant went wide of the post after getting a step on the defense in the 55th minute and Brynn Stokes headed a corner kick just wider in the 61st minute. In the 82nd minute, Cooke came out of the box to track down a loose ball and went to the ground, allowing Tanna Bookhamer a shot at the empty goal. However, Garrett came back on defense and was able to deflect the attempt wide and leave the Pioneers with a corner kick.
Lincoln Memorial earned 10 corner kicks in the match to seven for Tusculum, while the Pioneers were called for eight fouls to four for the Railsplitters in the caution-free match.
Tusculum will remain home to face Mars Hill on Saturday, Oct. 4 at 1 p.m. at Pioneer Field. The Lions lost 3-0 to Wingate on Wednesday to fall to 1-6-0 overall and 0-4-0 in SAC play.
