GREENEVILLE, Tenn. — A level match was blown open late by the 10th-ranked Catawba College women's soccer team with four goals in the last 15 minutes to beat Tusculum, 5-1, on Sunday at Pioneer Field.
Freshman forward Alex Eguren, who entered the tilt with one career goal, headlined the Catawba (7-2-1, 4-0-1 SAC) offense in a three-goal performance to capture the team's second hat trick of 2026. Bree Ehmer found pay dirt twice, upping her season total to eight while extending her South Atlantic Conference scoring lead to three strikes. Kennedy McGuire assisted both Eguren and Ehmer for a two-dime day as Agnethe Vestergaard Heron, Ella Matthews and Harper Dussouy notched one helper apiece. Lauren Zitt secured her sixth win of the year in net with two saves on three shots faced.
The Catawba Indians and Pioneers (1-7, 1-3 SAC) were close statistically in the first half, but the blue and white hammered down to finish with an 11-5 advantage in overall shots and a 7-3 edge in shots on goal. Catawba led in corner kicks 4-2 thanks to identical 2-1 counts in the first and second stanzas. No cards were shown, marking Catawba's seventh caution-less match this season while ending a five-game streak of yellows for Tusculum.
Kaitlyn Johnson helped kickstart the action with the first two shots in the 19th minute, one directed on frame. The Pioneers responded quickly with an on-target boot that Zitt stopped moments later. A series of whistles against both squads limited the effectiveness of three corners midway through the half. Shortly after taking the field in the 32nd minute, Eguren jumped at the first chance she got by finishing a cross from McGuire to open the scoring. Tusculum delivered a swift equalizer via Carme Escamilla to level the score at 1-1 at the break.
The hosts had an opportunity to take the lead with a 63rd-minute shot on goal, but Zitt turned it away to keep the contest tied. Matthews pushed a shot just wide of the right post 10 minutes later as time was beginning to close in. The Catawba Indians finally broke through, starting with a long pass from Vestergaard Heron to McGuire in the corner, who sent a firm pass to Ehmer in the box for the finish. That strike of the match set the Catawba attack on fire, producing a corner kick and three more shots culminating in another Ehmer goal with help from Matthews in the 83rd minute. Eguren re-entered after that score, which made it 3-1, and lit up the board twice more. Her second blast of the day ended a lengthy run with an immaculate delivery from 25 yards out, while the hatty-sealing goal kissed the left post and bounced in, rounding off a pivotal surge to capture the win.
The Catawba Indians return home for their annual Breast Cancer Awareness Game on Saturday, Oct. 3, against rival Wingate. Kickoff is slated for 3:30 p.m. at Frock Field.
