MARS HILL, N.C. — Tusculum University scored four goals in a span of 13 minutes across halftime and went on to a 5-0 victory over Mars Hill University in South Atlantic Conference women’s soccer Tuesday night.
Five different players scored for the Pioneers (4-9-1, 2-6-1 SAC), while goalkeeper Noemie Tartrou made three saves for her first shutout of the year. Tusculum outshot Mars Hill (1-11-1, 0-8-1 SAC) 18-15 in the match and had an 11-3 advantage in shots on goal.
Addison Rishling, Alexis Roessler, Tanna Bookhamer, Wilma Axelsson and Aniya Fisher all scored goals for the Pioneers, who scored twice in the final four minutes of the first half and twice more in the first 10 minutes of the second half to take control.
Rishling gave the Pioneers a 1-0 lead with 3:31 left in the first half as she collected the ball 40 yards out, dribbled through the defense and scored her seventh goal of the season and her fifth in her last three matches.
Just under a minute later, Sydney Grant carried the ball along the end line and fed a pass to Roessler, who fired home her second goal of the year with 2:34 remaining until intermission.
The Pioneers added to their advantage at 51:05 as a corner kick from Roessler caromed off Bookhamer in front and bounced past Mars Hill keeper Camryn Miller for a 3-0 lead.
Tusculum went ahead 4-0 at 54:46 on a give-and-go play from Axelsson to Marin Wills and back to Axelsson, whose last touch went past Miller for her second goal of the season.
The Pioneers closed the scoring with 38 seconds remaining as a free kick from Adriana Netskos went off the head of Fisher and into the net for her first career goal.
Miller made six saves for the Lions, who lost their 10th consecutive match and eighth in a row by shutout. Both teams had three corner kicks, while Mars Hill was called for six fouls to five by Tusculum.
Tusculum is back home for Senior Day on Saturday, Nov. 2 when the Pioneers host SAC co-leader Lenoir-Rhyne at 2 p.m. The Bears, ranked ninth in Division II, are undefeated at 9-0-4 overall and tied atop the conference with Catawba at 7-0-2.
