JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. --- Three second-half goals propelled Carson-Newman University to a 3-0 victory over Tusculum University in the first leg of a South Atlantic Conference men's soccer home-and-home series Friday afternoon at McCown Field.
Matheus Maia, Yannick Kranz and Benjamin Stein scored after intermission for the Eagles (4-1-1, 3-1-0 SAC), who outshot the Pioneers 23-6 in the match and 15-3 in the second half.
Bram Kaarsgaren made four saves to earn his third straight shutout and fourth of the season for the Eagles, who also had an 8-3 advantage in corner kicks including all seven in the second half.
Carson-Newman almost scored on the first shot of the game as Thaylan Silva got behind Tusculum keeper Joao Kozlowski, but Ira Heppard was able to clear the ball off the line in the sixth minute. The Eagles would also hit the framework three times, including twice by Theo Hardenby Ohrwall who hit the post in the 23rd minute and the crossbar in the 38th minute. Harry Whitehead also hit the post about a minute before Ohrwall's crossbar carom.
Tusculum's first shot came in the 15th minute as Kaarsgaren made a stop on a shot from Damien Baltide. Kaarsgaren also had a save on Baltide in the 30th minute, while Andre Adrien caromed one off the post and wide in the final minute of the half as the teams went to intermission without a goal.
The Eagles needed just 97 seconds of the second half to break through, as a turnover was turned into a break for Maia, who collected his first goal of the season off assists from Silva and Ben King. Carson-Newman had two chances to extend the lead midway through the second half, but Pim Janssens headed wide of the goal in the 64th minute and Whitehead hit the post off a corner in the 66th minute.
Kaarsgaren made his best stop of the match in the 70th minute as a cross to Jean-Pierre Vital left him one on one at the top of the box, but Kaarsgaren smothered Vital's shot to preserve the Eagles' lead. Kozlowski added saves on Whitehead in the 79th minute and Emmanuel Olaluyi about 30 seconds later, but could not stop Kranz on a penalty kick with 9:47 left after Whitehead was taken down in the box.
Tusculum's bid for a comeback was made more difficult when the Pioneers were dropped to 10 players after a second booking. About a minute later, the Eagles passed the ball around the box to Stein who delivered his first of the season off assists from Nyasha Mwamuka and Harrison Collins.
Kozlowski made five saves in goal for the Pioneers, who were called for 10 fouls to nine by the Eagles.
The teams will meet up exactly 72 hours from the start of Friday's game as the return leg will be played at Pioneer Field. Game time on Monday is 5 p.m.
