November 6, 2024

Jud leads comeback effort against TU

For the second consecutive season, Carson-Newman (6-6-3, 3-5-3 SAC) rallied from an early deficit to defeat Tusculum (4-11-1, 2-8-1 SAC) on Wednesday night at Pioneer Field.

Carson-Newman

6-6-3, 3-5-3

Tusculum

4-11-1, 2-8-1

Final	1	2	T
Carson-Newman (6-6-3, 3-5-3)	1	2	3
Tusculum (4-11-1, 2-8-1)	1	0	1

GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – For the second consecutive season, Carson-Newman (6-6-3, 3-5-3 SAC) rallied from an early deficit against Tusculum (4-11-1, 2-8-1 SAC), winning 3-1 on Wednesday night at Pioneer Field.

The win clinches Carson-Newman's spot in the South Atlantic Conference tournament as the number eight seed.

"Obviously delighted with the result," Carson-Newman women's soccer head coach Simon Duffy said. "We knew what was on the line and nothing less than a win would continue our season. A disappointing start to give away a goal in the first minute but I thought the player kept a composure and we were able to claw one back after about 15 minutes. Second half, we came out just as we wanted to and scored the first one within five minutes and then the third about ten minutes later."

In 2023, Carson-Newman overcame a two-goal deficit in the opening half to Tusculum and won. This season's meeting saw C-N overcome an early goal to extend its unbeaten streak against the Pioneers to seven games.

Tusculum began the scoring 58 seconds into the match. Off a corner kick from Alexis Roessler, Brynn Stokes headed the ball toward the six-yard box where Adriana Netskos headed the ball into the bottom left corner to make it 1-0 TU.

Carson-Newman would have quality chances quickly after the opening goal. The Eagles managed to get three shots off their first corner kick in the 3rd minute. After an initial shot, Selina Jud's shot was saved by Noemie Tartrou and then dinged off the left post to stay in play. Molly Bukiewicz sent the final shot of the sequence on frame with a header that was also saved.

The Eagles leveled the match in the 15th minute. After possession was won in the midfield, Savannah Fields' pass led Jud into the box where she crushed a near-sided shot into the upper right corner for her third goal of the year.

Berna Kabakci made her first save of the match in the 26th minute off a shot from well outside the box.

C-N continued to pose a threat offensively in the opening half. Krista Nielsen sent her first shot of the game toward the center of goal but saw the attempt get saved in the 35th minute. Five minutes later, Nielsen had a second one saved as well.

Carson-Newman had six of their eleven shots hit the target in the opening half.

Kabakci saved the first shot of the half in the 48th minute to keep the match level. Shortly after, Alayna Corbitt's free kick ball found Jud's feet, and the junior buried her second goal of the match in the bottom left corner to give Carson-Newman the lead.

Jud's two-goal game is the second time in her career she has a brace. The junior forward has scored eleven goals now in her C-N career and three against Tusculum.

"Selina looked very sharp today for the entire game," Duffy said. "She scored two wonderful goals for us. Hopefully, she can keep that up when we travel to play in the first round of the conference tournament on Saturday."

Jud's scoring effort forward helped lead to an insurance goal in the 58th minute. A misplayed ball on a cross by TU's goalkeeper allowed Molly Bukiewicz to score her second career goal and give the Eagles a 3-1 lead. The graduate student was in the right place at the right time to extend the lead.

The Pioneers would have their chances to draw closer. Kabacki was forced to make saves in the 73rd and 75th minutes on shots toward the center of goal.

The sophomore goalkeeper would make her final save in the 80th minute on a shot toward the top of goal to help seal the two-goal victory.

Kabakci ended the match with six saves after allowing the first minute goal. Tartrou made seven saves in a losing effort for TU.

Coming back from the one goal deficit 58 seconds into the game is just the ninth time under Duffy that C-N has won when allowing the first goal of a game.

Carson-Newman outshot Tusculum 19-11 and had a 10-7 shots on goal advantage.

The win clinches C-N's spot in the South Atlantic Conference tournament that begins this Saturday. As the number eight seed, Carson-Newman will take on the top-seeded Wingate Bulldogs.