Greeneville, Tenn.----Wingate University freshman defender
Chelsey Horan (Waxhaw, N.C.) will remember her first collegiate goal for a long time, as the Marvin Ridge High School product tallied the match-winner in the second overtime to give the Bulldogs a 2-1 South Atlantic Conference victory over Tusculum College Saturday afternoon at Pioneer Field.
With the triumph, Wingate is 3-1-3 overall and 1-0-1 in the SAC. Tusculum is 3-5 overall and 0-2 in the SAC. The Bulldogs return home Wednesday, hosting SAC rival Catawba College at 7 p.m. The TC Pioneers hit the road Tuesday, visiting SAC foe Brevard College for a 3 p.m. friendly.
“We showed great character and spirit,” Wingate head coach
Gary Curneen says. “We knew if we kept pushing, we’d get a chance (to score). This is a great road victory for us against an excellent team. We hope we can build momentum for the next one.”
Horan made the most of her opportunity, capitalizing on a Tusculum turnover to score the match-winner with 57 seconds remaining in the contest. The golden goal capped an amazing comeback for the Bulldogs, giving the North Carolina visitors their first-ever victory at Tusculum (in eight tries).
Wingate senior forward
Kerstin Williams (Summerville, S.C.) tied the contest at 1-1 with a goal in the 48th minute. Williams converted a header from eight yards out, thanks to a cross from freshman defender
Holly Holsclaw (Matthews, N.C.). Williams has a team-leading four goals this season.
Tusculum senior midfielder
Courtney Turner (Cocoa Beach, Fla.) put the Pioneers on the board with a free kick goal in the 33rd minute. Turner tallied her fourth goal of the season from 40 yards, lifting the ball to the top shelf of the goal past Wingate sophomore goalkeeper
Miriam Boucher (Calgary, Alberta).
Boucher allowed only one goal in 109-plus minutes. She had six saves for the Bulldogs. Tusculum junior goalkeeper
Kelsey Cunningham (Cumming, Ga.) also went the distance, allowing two goals and posting four saves. Wingate outshot the TC Pioneers 19-16. The Bulldogs held a 9-5 advantage in corner kicks.
NCAA Division II box score
