GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – The King University men's soccer team took another tough result on Tuesday night when they faced regional rivals Tusculum College. The game was scoreless through the first 45 minutes, but the Pioneers netted a pair of goals over the final 25 minutes to take the contest 2-0.

The first half was played on both ends of the field with Tusculum (1-1) having a slight advantage in the first 45 minutes. The Pioneers took eight shots to King's five, putting two on frame. On the other hand, the Tornado (0-3) put three shots on goal, but all five shots were saved by the opposing goalkeepers.

The Tornado started on the offensive end with three quality chances in the first 10 minutes. Ryan Murphy ripped a pair of shots within 10 seconds in the ninth and 10th minutes that were saved, and Faber Bickerstaffe had a header stopped by the Pioneer defense just seven seconds after Murphy's second chance.

The play then moved to the other end of the pitch as Tusculum took a shot that was off target in the 19th minute, and another that clanged off the post in the 20th minute. The Pioneers tallied the last chance of the first half 30 seconds after Bickerstaffe sailed a shot high for the Tornado. In the 42nd minute, Tusculum's Roberto Pimentel had a shot blocked as the contest went to halftime scoreless.

Eli Carrasco had the first chance of the second frame five minutes in, ripping a shot wide before Tusculum started to pressure the Tornado defense. The Pioneers took a corner and put a couple shots wide of the goal in the 58th and 59th minutes before finally breaking through in the 67th minute.

Jonathan Spicher found the back of the net from 20 yards out as he ripped a shot that was just out of Kari Sveinsson's outstretched arms to give Tusculum the 1-0 lead. King answered with a pair of shots, but both were blocked before they made it to the Tusculum keeper.

The Pioneers struck again in the 81st minute when Rocco Menna laced a shot from 35 yards out that snuck inside the far post to extend the lead to 2-0.

Hallgrimur Johannsson and Kendale Liburd tried to get the Tornado on the board in the following minutes and Johannsson placed a shot on target that was turned away, and Liburd sailed a shot wide of the goal. King didn't get any more chances the rest of the way as the Pioneers took the contest 2-0.

Tusculum ended up outshooting King 17-15, including a 9-7 margin in the second half. The Pioneers also had three corner kicks to King's one in the contest.

King will be in action again on Saturday when they open up Conference Carolinas play at Emmanuel College in Franklin Springs, Georgia. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.

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