FRIDAY'S SCORES
Tennessee 3,
@Belmont 0
Jacksonville State 0, Troy 0
@Missouri State 2,
Southeast Missouri 0
@Kennesaw State 1,
Morehead State 0
Eastern Kentucky 1, @Xavier 0
@UT Martin 2, Chattanooga 2
@Valparaiso 3,
Eastern Illinois 2 (OT)
TENNESSEE 3, BELMONT 0
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – For the first time this season the Belmont women's soccer squad struggled to get its offense rolling as Tennessee shutout the Bruins, 3-0, on a rainy Friday afternoon at E.S. Rose Park.
Both teams shared possession of the ball in the early goings of the match, before the Volunteers (4-0-0) began to separate themselves. While BU was able to contain the majority UT's offense, it couldn't find a way to stop junior midfielder Khadija Shaw, who netted all three of Tennessee's goals.
The Bruins (3-1-0) started out strong, giving the Volunteers all they had both offensively and defensively in the opening 20 minutes. Sophomore forward Niki Clements (Perkasie, Pa.) gave Belmont its best look of the first frame when she fired off a shot in the fifth minute that threatened Tennessee keeper, Shae Yanez, but ultimately bounced off the crossbar. Clements' look was the closest BU got to getting a shot on frame as the squads other three takes landed wide.
Defensively, junior Sarah Bossung (Nashville, Tenn.) made a critical stop in the 12th minute as UT looked to find themselves in a 1v1 situation with Belmont goalkeeper Lily Herman (Springboro, Ohio) at the top of the 18-yard box. Despite Belmont's defensive efforts, Tennessee found a way to break through in the 22nd minute when Shaw found the back of the net two times within the span of 40 seconds. Shaw's goals would be the difference maker at halftime as the Volunteers led, 2-0.
Belmont struck first in the second stanza as it looked to cut the deficit in half after senior Tara Austin (Beaumont, Texas) sent the team's first and only shot on frame. The midfielder found an opening at the top of the 18-yard box and let one ride, but Yanez intercepted the shot and handled it just before the ball crossed the goal line.
From then on Tennessee started to control the temp of the match again as the Vols let off three consecutive shots, all of which forced Herman to make a stop in goal. The Springboro, Ohio product remained busy defending the Bruins goal as Shaw continued to strike. This time the junior connected on a corner kick and headed the ball in to make it a 3-0 advantage for UT. Herman would go on to tally five saves with four coming in the second half.
It was the first time this year that Belmont was outshot, 13-6, and the only time that they haven't registered a double-digit shot count.
BU hits the road for the first time on Sunday, Sept. 3 as they take on Valparaiso at 1 p.m. at Brown Field.
KENNESAW STATE 1, MOREHEAD STATE 0
KENNESAW, Ga. - Despite finally finding its offensive footing in the game's second half, Morehead State soccer ultimately fell to Kennesaw State by a score of 1-0 on Friday night at Fifth Third Bank Stadium.
The Eagles drop to 0-4 after trailing at the half for the first time all season. Kennesaw State moves to 3-0-2, following the Owls' first meeting with the Eagles in school history.
Morehead State was held without a shot attempt in the opening period, facing nine from the Kennesaw State offense. KSU sophomore Emely Sosa crossed a well-placed ball into the Eagles' box at the 20-minute mark, making way for a spectacular finish by Ashtah Das for the match's only goal.
Morehead State would turn things around in the second half, however, managing five shot attempts from five different players. Ashley Ritchie, Dani Wilson, Caitlyn Burdine, Abby Timm, and Taylor Malucky each logged a go at the net, but only Burdine's attempt fell on goal. Junior goalkeeper Michelle Washburn snagged four saves off 20 total shots from Kennesaw State on the day.
This weekend, the Eagles will continue the second leg of a three-game road stand. Morehead State battles Chattanooga on Sunday at 2 p.m. ET.
EASTERN KENTUCKY 1, XAVIER 0
CINCINNATI, Ohio - The Eastern Kentucky University soccer team used another late game-winner to edge Xavier, 1-0, on a soggy Friday night at the XU Soccer Complex.
After 86 minutes of scoreless play, senior Jordan Foster took a pass from fellow senior Emmi Carroll and scored from six yards out to give the Colonels their second-straight dramatic win.
Foster – a 2016 first team All-OVC forward – has now scored in three straight games, and the last two have been game-winners. She scored a golden goal in double-overtime to lift EKU past IUPUI, 3-2, last Sunday in Indianapolis.
The win avenged EKU’s 2-0 loss to Xavier last August in Richmond. It is only the Colonels’ second win ever over the Musketeers and the first since 2010.
Eastern was locked on to the net all night, as all eight of their shots were on goal. Foster led EKU with five shots on goal, while Carroll, freshman Sarah Owusu, and sophomore Monica Rios each contributed one.
Senior goalkeeper Anna Hall tallied three saves on the night and earned her second clean sheet of the season. The Ross, Ohio native now has 18 shutouts for her career.
Defenders Kacy Eckley, Haley Kemper and Katie Shaffer and midfielders Marian Wolski and Alyssa Julien also played all 90 minutes of the shutout.
EKU will now travel back to Richmond to play its first home game of the season against Gardner-Webb on Friday, September 8. Game time is scheduled for 4 p.m.
JACKSONVILLE STATE 0, TROY 0
MOBILE, Ala. - For the first time in 16 meetings between Jacksonville State and Troy, the two sides played to a scoreless draw on Friday afternoon at The Cage on the South Alabama campus to open the Jaguar Invitational.
It was the second consecutive scoreless draw for the Gamecocks after playing Georgia State to a draw last Sunday at the JSU Soccer Field. Jax State remained unbeaten in its last four matches with the second draw in as many outings. JSU will take a 2-1-2 record in to Sunday's contest against host-South Alabama at 2:30 p.m. USA faced Alabama in the second contest on Friday. The Trojans (2-3-1) will take on the Crimson Tide to open Sunday's action.
It was a defensive battle throughout with each team having offensive momentum in each half. JSU had three shots in the opening half to match the Trojans, while surviving an active shooting half by Troy in the final 45 minutes of regulation. Troy had seven opportunities in the second half and one in the first overtime. JSU had chances for a golden goal in each of the two 10 minute extra sessions, but could not produce the game winner. Troy finished with an 11-8 advantage in total shots.
Two JSU freshmen led the offensive attack as Kelly Snook and Danielle Monroe each had two shots each, while Danelle Lindo and Cheyenne Carden had on goal chances.
Senior goalkeeper Caroline Robinson turned in another clean worksheet in the 110 minutes and collected five saves against the Trojans. Robinson secured her second shutout of the season and her 12.5 blanking of her career.
VALPARAISO 3, EASTERN ILLINOIS 2
VALPARAISO, Ind. - Eastern Illinois women’s soccer held the lead for just over 22 minutes in the second half on Friday evening but in the end two quick scores at the end of regulation and in overtime gave Valparaiso a 3-2 win over the Panthers.
EIU was able to tie the game in the 59th minute as Kate Olson scored her second goal of the season coming off an assist from Carrie Caplin. It was Caplin’s second assist of the season.
Just over 16 minutes later Emma Scaro connected on a penalty kick that put EIU up 2-1 over the Crusaders at the 66:44 mark.
Trailing by one goal, Valparaiso pressured the ball into the EIU zone finishing the night with a 24-8 shots advantage including a 6 to 4 shots on goal margin.
The equalizer for Valpo came with 1:15 left in regulation as Tahelah Noel scored off a scramble in front of the goal box after Natalia Kontal put a corner kick into play.
Valpo would quickly attack at the start of the overtime period as Keegan Maris directed a kick across the front of the goal box that Cory Griffith dove to head into the goal 39 seconds into the extra session.
Sydney Griffin scored the game’s opening goal in the 12th minute of action giving Valpo a 1-0 lead at the half.
Valpo improved to 3-2 on the season. EIU fell to 2-2-1 and will host Chicago State on Sunday at 12 p.m. at Lakeside Field.
UT MARTIN 2, CHATTANOOGA 2
MARTIN, Tenn. - Junior Amy McGivern and the University of Tennessee at Martin offense both shattered school records this evening as the Skyhawk soccer team battled to a 2-2 double overtime draw against Chattanooga at Skyhawk Field.
McGivern was responsible for both of UT Martin’s goals, with the second coming in the 88th minute. The game-tying goal came off of a double pass that began with Katelyn Colvin as she fired the ball in to Ashley Levingston, who found McGivern for the open look. Tonight’s 14 shots by McGivern breaks the previous Skyhawk single-match high set by Rianna Jarrett (12) against Tennessee Tech on Sept. 8, 2014.
UT Martin’s 44 shots put up tonight replaces the previous program record of 42, set against Southeast Missouri on Oct. 29, 2015. Junior Kaci Mitchell recorded five shots while Danae Kaldaridou, Sara Ketis and Nicole Collins notched four shots apiece. Colvin tallied three shots as Maggie Burkett, Alice Adams, Isabella Roberts and Levingston were credited with two shots each.
As a team, the Skyhawks generated 13 shots in the first half, 23 attempts in the second half and four apiece in the overtime periods. UT Martin outshot Chattanooga by a 44-9 margin while placing 14 shots on goal.
Makenzie Crawford made her season debut tonight, starting in goal and recording three first-half saves in the process. Erica Myers picked up one save and played the remaining 65 minutes while keeping the Mocs off the scoreboard for the remainder of the match.
Coming off a second straight overtime bout, a total of five Skyhawks played the match in its entirety as Burkett, Kamryn Chappell, Ketis, Mitchell and McGivern all logged 110 minutes this evening.
Chattanooga leading scorer Jordan Mueller gave the Mocs early momentum with a goal in the fourth minute. UT Martin controlled the first half tempo until Chattanooga’s Chloe Arnold snuck in a goal with seven seconds to go before the halftime break to put the Mocs up 2-0.
The UT Martin defense buckled down after the halftime intermission, with only three Chattanooga shots coming in the final 65 minutes.
As the match wore on, the shots kept on coming from the high-powered Skyhawk offense. McGivern recorded her first goal of the season off of a penalty kick in the 57th minute to trim UT Martin’s deficit in half.
McGivern’s magic continued with the equalizing goal at the 87:46 mark in regulation. Amongst a logjam of Moc defenders in the box, the Ballynahinch, Northern Ireland native found the back of the net to knot things up at 2-all.
The final 20 minutes were a true test of will as the two teams left it all on the pitch but could not come up with the golden goal.
UT Martin travels to Nashville, Tenn. to take on Lipscomb on Sunday, Sept. 3. Kickoff is scheduled for 5 p.m.