Men's Soccer Falls In Conference Quarterfinals to Tusculum

GREENVILLE, N.C. – The Mars Hill men's soccer team's season came to an end at the hands of Tusculum on Tuesday night at Pioneer Field. The Lions held a 2-1 lead late in the second half, but could not hang on, eventually dropping the match 3-2 in double overtime.

The Pioneers took an early 1-0 lead in the 16^th minute following a free kick from Fabian Proesch that snuck in the top corner of the net. That score would hold late into the first 45 until an unlikely source in Joakim Lien produced his first goal of the season to knot the match at one-all heading into the intermission.

Both teams had opportunities early in the second half to take a lead, but each keeper held their own, denying every ball sent their way. However, Thor-Joakim Stenberg changed that in the 73^rd minute. Stenberg ran towards a pass from Stian Sanner and made contact just as a Pioneer defender got there. The push on the ball was just enough to squeak by the TC defender and give the Lions a 2-1 lead.

Mars Hill looked primed to knock off the No. 2 seed of the tournament, turning away every chance the Pioneers had to tie the contest. However, with just over one minute remaining in the contest, Tusculum's Guillermo Lazcano slipped by a MHU defender and just got his boot on the ball to send it past Kristopher Wennin.

That goal ultimately sent the match into overtime. During the first extra session Mars Hill was presented a chance to notch the golden-goal, but Oscar Mitchell's header went just a little high, glancing off the crossbar. Wennin came up huge twice in the second overtime, but in the 108^th minute Tusculum capitalized on its 11^th corner kick of the evening, heading the ball just past the outstretched arms of Wennin, sending the Pioneer crowd into a frenzy and the Lions home with a season-ending defeat.

Tusculum held a 19-6 advantage in shots taken as well as 11-4 in corner kicks. Sanner and Stenberg led the Lions offensively with two shots each. Wennin played all 108 minutes in goal, collecting eight saves, while allowing three goals.