Ahlemeyer’s brace powers Bisons 2-1 comeback victory over Bellarmine in ASUN First Round
Junior midfielder Tatum Ahlemeyer delivered a two-goal performance to lead the Lipscomb women’s soccer team to a thrilling 2-1 comeback victory over Bellarmine University on Thursday evening at Hodges Stadium on the campus of the University of North Florida.
With the neutral-site victory in the opening round of the ASUN Tournament, the Bisons punch their ticket to the conference semifinals.
Bellarmine struck first in the 30th minute when freshman forward Morgan Holloway set up sophomore forward Kate Paulakonis, who found the back of the net to put the Knights ahead 1-0.
The deficit did not last long. Just 123 seconds later, Lipscomb generated an instant response. Ahlemeyer gathered possession in the attack and buried her strike in the 31st minute to draw the Bisons level at 1-1.
Lipscomb looked to push ahead before the break, creating additional set-piece and open-play chances, but both sides headed into the locker room tied at halftime.
The Bisons wasted no time taking control after the intermission. Just over two minutes into the second half, Ahlemeyer struck again in the 48th minute, beating Bellarmine redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Anna Jenkins to secure her brace and put Lipscomb up 2-1.
Bellarmine pressed aggressively for an equalizer, hitting the woodwork on a long attempt by sophomore forward Makenzie Simpson in the 60th minute and testing Lipscomb junior goalkeeper Sundell “Sunnie” Woodard late in the half. However, Woodard and the Bisons backline held firm through ninety minutes, defending five second-half corner kicks to preserve the victory.
With the First Round victory, Lipscomb advances to the ASUN Tournament Semifinals. The Bisons will face host and No. 2 seed University of North Florida on Sunday, Nov. 8, in Jacksonville, Fla., for a spot in the championship match.
Featured Image Courtesy of Todd Drexler/Sesportsmedia.com
Harold Espinoza Lopez
Harold is a junior Sports Media major and Marketing minor. A Nashville native with a lifelong passion for sports, he loves bringing dynamic coverage to Herd Media. Outside of media and marketing, Harold is a true people person who stays busy traveling, playing sports, and exploring the world.
