ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. --- Eckerd College scored four times in a 16-minute span of the first half and defeated Tusculum University 4-0 in non-conference women's soccer action Sunday morning.
The Tritons (2-0-1) received two goals in just under three minutes from Hajar Benjoud and outshot the Pioneers (0-4-0) by an 18-4 margin in the victory. All four Eckerd goals came between the 18th and 34th minutes as the Tritons held an 11-1 shot advantage in the opening half.
Eckerd had the first seven shot attempts of the match, with the first on goal coming in the ninth minute as Tusculum keeper Emma Harriman stopped Benjoud on a shot from long range. Harriman made a stop on a lunge on a try by Victoria Grant in the 13th minute to keep the match scoreless.
The Tritons opened the scoring at 17:07 as a cross from Lashanti Williams went through the box to an open Benjoud at the far post for her second goal of the season. Benjoud added her second goal at 19:43 on a rebound, after a shot by Aisling Spillane off a corner kick was cleared off the line by the defense.
Tusculum's only shot on goal of the first half came from the top of the box by Julianne Fox in the 23rd minute, which was cradled by Triton keeper Cadence Talbert.
Eckerd went up 3-0 at 26:08 as Mackenzie Maggio had possession on the end line and sent a pass in front for Kyndall Goodwin, who dropped in her first goal of the season. Harriman got the better of Goodwin just over two minutes later as she grabbed an open blast from 15 yards out.
The final goal by the Tritons was at 33:25 on a one-timer from the top of the box by Asia Dabney following a feed from Sierra Hudson.
In the second half, the Pioneers got their first good look on goal as Kaitlyn Watson took a free kick in the 53rd minute. However, her blast from 35 yards over the wall was caught by a jumping Triton keeper Morgan Flemming to keep Tusculum off the board.
Eckerd kept up the pressure in the 57th minute as Katari Papageorgiou attempted to get by the Pioneer defense. However, her angle shot from 10 yards was grabbed by Harriman. Bailey Bylotas had the final shot on goal for the Pioneers, as she was stopped by Flemming with five minutes to go.
Harriman finished with five saves in goal for the Pioneers, while Talbert had one stop in the first half and Flemming two in the second half for the Tritons. Eckerd had a 6-3 edge in corner kicks and was called for six fouls to just two for Tusculum.
The Pioneers will open their South Atlantic Conference schedule on Wednesday, Sept. 15 with a visit to Lincoln Memorial for a 12:30 p.m. match. The teams met twice during the abbreviated 2021 spring season, with both contests ending in a 1-1 draw.
