Columbus State Knocks Out Tusculum From NCAA Women’s Soccer Tournament

COLUMBUS, Ga. --- Tusculum College's run in the NCAA Tournament came to an end Friday night as sixth-ranked Columbus State defeated the No. 18 Pioneers 2-0 in the Division II Southeast Regional Final at the CSU Soccer Complex.

The Cougars improve to 20-3-1 and advance to Sunday's national quarterfinal match against South Region champion Tampa, who defeated Montevallo 2-0 in Friday's first contest.

The Pioneers end their season at 15-7 as they were competing in their third consecutive NCAA Tournament, while making their fourth postseason appearance in the last five years.

The Lady Cougars got on the board midway through the first half as Stephanie Parrish got her 17th goal of the season. Parrish and Hannah Ospina put on a two-person run at TC keeper Tori Hadjopoulos with Ospina laying a perfect cross to the feet of the speeding Parrish. She hammered it into the net for a 1-0 lead at the 21:49 mark of the period. CSU would make that score stand until the break.

Kellie Myles got some insurance for CSU early in the second half. Just over two minutes into the period, Myles took a Jill Walthall pass and beat Hadjopoulos for a 2-0 lead.

Tusculum got a solid performance from Hadjopoulos between the posts. Despite the two goals, the freshman recorded 12 saves - six in each half as CSU sent 24 shots toward her goal. She recorded 14 saves in a 1-0 win over CSU on August 31. CSU's Monica Sanchez tallied two saves in the shutout victory.

It was the final collegiate soccer match for Tusculum senior Ashley Steinle. It has been a sensational career for Steinle who led TC to a pair of NCAA postseason appearances in her two years in Greeneville. Tusculum won the NCAA Southeast Region title in 2006 while advancing to the National Elite Eight.