GREENEVILLE, Tenn. — Lillian Miller scored in the 27th minute as Newberry College defeated Tusculum University 1-0 in South Atlantic Conference women’s soccer Sunday afternoon at Pioneer Field.
The Wolves (5-0-1, 1-0-1 SAC) earned their fifth shutout of the season behind seven saves from Sarah Waller. The Pioneers (2-4-0, 0-1-0 SAC) outshot the Wolves by a 12-5 margin, including 9-1 in the second half, but could not find the equalizer.
Miller’s goal came at 26:38 as a free kick from 25 yards by Emily Castaneda went into the box and fell to the feet of Miller, who scored her second goal of the season.
Newberry had the first opportunity in the eighth minute, but Tusculum keeper Angel Chase collected a shot from range by the Wolves’ Kirsty Cameron. Sydney Grant had a chance from 25 yards in the 20th minute, but bounced a shot that was scooped up by Waller.
Waller kept the lead at 1-0 with saves on Hailey Silvestri in the 28th minute and a lunging stop on a free kick from Marja Enste in the 32nd minute. Miller nearly collected her second of the first half in the final minute, but shot just wide of the far post.
In the second half, Tusculum came close to tying the score with just 90 seconds gone on a blast from Alexis Roessler from 35 yards that clanged off the crossbar. Wilma Axelsson was denied by Waller in the 51st minute from close range, while Chase turned away a redirection by Miller in the 52nd minute.
Waller kept the Pioneers off the board with two saves on Addison Rishling in the 64th and 66th minutes, and another on Macy Vermillion in the 72nd minute. Tusculum’s last chance came with eight minutes left on a free kick by Enste, but her shot was wide of the target.
Tusculum had five corner kicks in the match to two from Newberry, while the Wolves were called for six fouls to five for the Pioneers. Chase finished with two saves in goal for Tusculum.
The Pioneers will visit Wingate for a SAC match on Wednesday, Sept. 25 at 1 p.m. The Bulldogs are off to a 2-0-2 start and beat Limestone 3-2 in their conference opener on Saturday.
