By Dylan Vazzano, TTU Sports Information Coordinator
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Senior goalkeeper Rebecca Toler and the Golden Eagle defense shined, helping push the Tennessee Tech soccer team to a scoreless tie with Austin Peay in Tech's final road match of 2014. The draw was the second in the last three matches for the Golden Eagles (2-12-2, 0-5-2) after tying with Eastern Illinois on Oct. 11 in a match that saw a season-high 32 TTU shots.
Toler made six crucial saves in 110 minutes between the pipes, none bigger then her 38th minute save on an APSU (4-10-1, 3-3-1) sophomore Gina Fabbro's penalty kick to keep the match scoreless.
"Becca played really well today and our back four did a great job as well," Tech head coach Steve Springthorpe said, referencing a Golden Eagle defense which fended off 16 Peay shots. "I thought our team has a whole played hard, we battled the entire time in what was just a hard fought game. I'm really happy about the effort we've been giving the last couple of weeks in conference play. We are starting to move in a real positive direction."
Offensively, Tech produced seven shots in the double overtime thriller with junior Taylor Blazei and freshman Zoie Hensley each leading the team with two shots each. Hensley gave the Golden Eagles one final glimmer of coming away with the win, scorching one toward the net a mere minute and a half into the second overtime, but it was gobbled up by APSU junior goalkeeper Nikki Filippone, one of two saves on the day for the Ontario, Canada native.
The aforementioned Gina Fabbro and junior Courtney Sheppard led the match with three shots each, with Fabbro earning a tilt-high two shots on-goal.
"It's been a couple games in a row now, where from an effort perspective everything has been there," Spingthorpe said. "We are going to keep learning and hopefully in the next couple of games we can find a way to get a more positive result."
The Golden Eagles will now close out the regular season with three-straight home matches, beginning with an Oct. 24 battle with Southeast Missouri. Kickoff is slated for 3 p.m. CT.
