GREENVEVILLE, Tenn. — Newberry College freshman attack Baker Westmoreland scored his second hat trick of the season as the Wolves defeated the Tusculum Pioneers 12-9 on the road Saturday afternoon, handing the Pioneers their first loss of the season.
Senior midfielder Justin Messersmith won the opening faceoff and freshman midfielder Curtis Bukta scored on Newberry’s first possession of the game. With 9:33 to go in the first quarter, Newberry went up 3-0 after a goal from Messersmith assisted by senior midfielder Kyle Dunklee. Freshman attack Caleb Forga scored at the 7:44 mark in response to the Pioneers’ first goal of the game and Newberry took a 4-1 lead.
After Tusculum scored two goals to close the first quarter, Newberry opened the second with a goal from junior defenseman Tim Roesler. Newberry took eight shots in the second quarter, scoring three times. Newberry’s defense allowed seven Pioneer shot opportunities, but sophomore goalkeeper Jackson Von Eschen made all three saves that came his way and blanked Tusculum in the second period. Newberry took a 7-3 lead into halftime.
Westmoreland scored the lone goal of the third with 4:53 to play in the quarter. Freshman faceoff specialist Conner Bates won both faceoffs in the third period for the Wolves.
Newberry built a 10-4 lead off goals from Forga and junior midfielder Zachary Sunderland. However, the Pioneers rattled off three goals in 2:17 to pull closer to the Wolves, 10-7. Freshman midfielder Milo Jones and Westmoreland both scored a goal to keep Newberry’s lead intact, 12-7. Tusculum threatened with two goals within 50 seconds of each other, but the Wolves held on to win 12-9 and snap a two-game losing streak.