Thursday, August 26, 2004

GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- Jonathan Gordon's header in the 75^th minute broke a 2-2 tie as Tusculum College opened the 2004 season with a 3-2 win over area-rival Milligan College Thursday night in men's soccer action from the Tusculum Upper Soccer Field. (Box Score)

Gordon's (Glasgow, Scotland) goal was the only tally of the second half as both teams combined for four goals in the opening period. Milligan senior Steven Townley (Adelaide, Australia) got the Buffaloes on the board first at the 9:50 mark, volleying home a David Lilly (Coatbridge, Scotland) header off a Ryan Schweizer (Highland Mills, New York) cross.

Tusculum responded with two goals, the first off the foot of senior Paul Hopkins (Portsmouth, England) who one-timed a cross from freshman Gareth Williams (Wrexham, Wales). Senior Andre Nesfield (Arima, Trinidad) put the Pioneers up one by lobbing a header just over the reach of the charging MC goalkeeper. Nesfield's marker came in the 38^th minute.

Just over a minute later, Milligan knotted the score at two on a Caleb Bollman (Avon, Ind.) strike.

Senior Gerald Watt (Brampton, Ontario, Canada) notched his second assist of the night on Gordon's match-winner, lobbing a high arching corner kick across the far edge of the keeper area.

TC sophomore J.P. Swaminathan (Brampton, Ontario, Canada) made two saves and allowed two goals in the win. Sophomore Jordan Fode (Surrey, British Columbia, Canada) had five stops for the Buffaloes.

Tusculum (1-0) will have a week off before heading to West Virginia to face Salem International University on Friday, Sept. 3 and Alderson-Broaddus College on Sunday, Sept. 5. Milligan (0-1) plays at Montreat College on Tuesday at 6 p.m.