Late Goals Lead Tusculum Over Mars Hill

MARS HILL, N.C.-- Tusculum scored two goals in the final eight minutes of play to earn a 3-2 comeback victory over Mars Hill in South Atlantic Conference action Wednesday night at Meares Stadium.

Mark Patterson scored in the 82nd-minute to knot the score at 2-2 and Cody Kammerzell added the game-winner 1:25 later to send the Pioneers home with the victory. Christian McArthur scored his first goal as a Lion and Alex Mullen added the other MHU tally. Mars Hill falls to 1-3 overall and 1-1 in SAC matches. Tusculum is now 2-1 overall and 1-1 in conference play.

After a scoreless first half, Mullen got the Lions on the board at the 50:33 mark. The junior headed in a loose ball that had been played to the front of the net by Serge Kebbeh. The goal was Mullen's team-leading fourth of the season, with Kebbeh picking up his first-career assist.

Jonathan Spicher answered that goal in the 60th-minute on a header off a corner kick. Kyle Dickson picked  up the assist for the Pioneers.

McArthur's first goal at MHU came when the freshman defender turned and fired in a loose ball through traffic from just outside the box. The goal came at the 65:21 mark and gave the Lions a 2-1 lead.

A late flurry by the Pioneers resulted in the two goals that gave TC the win. Patterson drew a penalty after being pulled down in the box on a corner kick. Patterson scored on the resulting penalty kick to knot the score at two-apiece.

Kammerzell's game-winning goal came just over a minute later when he tracked down a rebound off a shot by Spicher and found the back of the net with 6:00 to play in the contest.

The Pioneers outshot Mars Hill by a 14-13 margin and held a 6-5 advantage in corner kicks. Ashley Elsey made four saves for TC in net, while MHU counterpart Oliver Pannell made three saves for the Lions.

Mars Hill will play an non-conference match at Limestone this Saturday, Sep. 21 at 2:00 p.m.