Courtesy Lenoir-Rhyne Sports Information Office

Hickory, N.C. - Tusculum’s Gareth Williams (Wrexham, WALES) scored with five seconds left in regulation to cap off an amazing comeback and lift the third-seeded Pioneers to a 4-3 victory over the top-seed Carson-Newman Eagles and win the 2004 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Men’s Soccer Tournament championship.

Tusculum College celebrates their winning the 2004 Food Lion SAC Men's Soccer Championship.

Down 3-0, the 23rd-ranked Pioneers (15-2-2) rallied with four goals in the final 25 minutes of regulation to win. The loss was the first of the season for Carson-Newman (17-1-1), which came into the tournament ranked third in the country.

Williams scored the game-winning goal on a cross shot in the box, with assists from Paul Hopkins (Portsmouth, ENGLAND) and Andre Nesfield (Arima, TRINIDAD). Williams had two goals and an assist for the Pioneers, while Hopkins was named Most Valuable Player of the tournament.

Carson-Newman took an early lead with two goals in a one-minute span early in the match. Brad Collins (Rocky Mount, VA.) scored the match’s first goal on a bicycle kick in the box at the 17:31 mark. A minute later, Kyle Frohock (Franklin, TN) scored on a free kick to put the Eagles ahead 2-0. Carson-Newman took the 2-0 into the half.

Carlos Maqueda (Knoxville, TN) scored an unassisted goal at 62:17 to give the Eagles a 3-0 lead.

The Pioneers stormed back, with Williams scoring after the ball was deflected on a throw-in at the 65:23 mark. Two minutes later, Tony Prisco (Woodbridge, VA) scored off a deflection, with Alex Eddo (Brown Hill, Nevis, WEST INDIES) providing the assist. Jay Harris (London, ENGLAND) then tied the match at 59:13 when he headed in a free kick from Williams.

The win was Tusculum’s second tournament championship in school history. The Pioneers last won the tournament in 1999.

Tusculum avenged a regular-season loss to the Eagles. Carson-Newman won the first meeting 4-3 in double overtime. Both teams will likely be invited to the NCAA Tournament, where they could face each other a third time.

Tusculum College.... 0 4 - 4 
Carson-Newman Eagles 2 1 - 3 

SCORING SUMMARY:
1. 17:31 C-NM Brad Collins (unassisted) - bicycle kick
2. 18:28 C-NM Kyle Frohock (unassisted) - free kick
3. 62:17 C-NM Carolos Maqueda (unassisted) - shot in the box
4. 65:23 TC Gareth Williams (unassisted) - shot in a box, deflected throw in
5. 67:26 TC Tony Prisco (Alexander Eddo) - off deflection
6. 69:13 TC Jay Harris (Gareth Williams) - free kick, headed in 7. 89:55 TC Gareth Williams (Paul Hopkins;Andre Nesfield)

Shots: Tusculum College 19, Carson-Newman Eagles 9

Saves: Tusculum College 3 (J.P. Swaminathan 3; TEAM 1), Carson-Newman Eagles 5 (Tyler Baldock 5)