Saturday, November 6, 2004

TUSCULUM KNOCKS OFF CATAWBA 1-0 IN SAC SEMIFINAL

HICKORY, N.C. – Tusculum junior Gareth Williams (Wrexham, Wales) scored the lone goal just over four minutes into the second half as the third-seeded Pioneers defeated second-seeded Catawba 1-0 in semifinal action at the Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Men’s Soccer Tournament on Saturday afternoon at Bears Field on the Lenoir-Rhyne College campus. Tusculum improves to 14-2-2 and will face top-seeded Carson-Newman in Sunday’s 2 p.m. final. Catawba falls to 14-5. (Box Score)

Both teams nearly tallied in the opening half. Pioneer keeper J.P. Swaminathan (Brampton, Ontario, Canada) had a clearance ricochet off his own defender and bound back toward his own goal, but it rolled against the post and was able to be cleared. Tusculum would hit the post on offense as Paul Hopkins (Portsmouth, England) was denied in the 37th minute.

After the break, Tusculum would break the ice as Williams one-timed a long cross from Jay Harris (London, England) to put the Pioneers up 1-0. Catawba had its best chance to even the match in the 60th minute, but Kenny Crowe’s (Reeders, Pa.) penalty kick was saved by Swaminathan. Tusculum also misfired on a penalty kick in the 76th minute as Hopkins’ try was wide.

Catawba had another great chance to tie just 30 seconds after the Pioneer penalty kick. Jason Dumond (Coppell, Texas) beat Swaminathan, but his shot was cleared off the line by Jeremy Partin (Germantown, Ohio) to preserve the shutout. Tusculum held a 16-5 edge in shots with Swaminathan denying one of the two Tribe shots on goal. Catawba keeper Dan Fitzgerald (Seaford, Del.) made eight saves.

- SAC -

#3 Tusculum College vs #2 Catawba Indians (Nov 06, 2004 at Hickory, NC)

Tusculum College (14-2-2) vs. Catawba Indians (14-5)

Date: Nov 06, 2004 Attendance: 404

Weather: Clear/Sunny

Goals by period 1 2 Tot

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Tusculum College.... 0 1 - 1

Catawba Indians..... 0 0 - 0

SCORING SUMMARY:

1. 49:15 TC Gareth Williams (Jay Harris)

Shots: Tusculum College 16, Catawba Indians 5

Saves: Tusculum College 2 (J.P. Swaminathan 1; TEAM 1), Catawba Indians 8 (Dan Fitzgerald 8)