By Dylan Vazzano, Sports Information Coordinator
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech soccer team's offense came alive Friday evening in Chattanooga, producing a season-high 17 shots and two goals en route to capturing a 2-1 victory for the club's second win in the last three matches.
"We're obviously excited about the victory, I mean tonight was a hard fought and at times physical battle between two sides that were pressing to find a win" Tech head coach Steve Springthorpe said shortly after the match. "We will need to fix some of our lumps going forward, but like I said earlier I'm excited to get the win on the road."
The Golden Eagles (2-4-0) saw nine players record at least one shot in the affair, led by junior Taylor Blazei's four, with the Hartford, Wis. native playing a monumental impact on both Tech scores. Scoreless in the 22nd minute, the Golden Eagles lit up the scoreboard first thanks to a corner kick set up by Blazei who was credited with the assist.
The 5-foot-7 forward smacked one right into the box which was headed into the back of the net by senior Katie Phillips for her first goal of the season to push TTU to a 1-0 advantage.
The Golden Eagle defense, which surrendered just nine shots and only three of on-goal, made the 1-0 mark stand into intermission, before Blazei and the rest of the offense struck again in the 77th minute. A beautiful pass from Zoie Hensley that saw the freshman forward slip it past the back of the Mocs (1-5-0) defense and right to Blazei who tucked one inside the far post to give Tech a 2-0 lead.
The goal was the first of the season for Blazei as she wraps up the evening with a three-point performance, while Hensely tallied her second assist of the year.
Chattanooga made it interesting late in the tilt, scoring in the 86th minute to cut the deficit to 2-1 after a Clare Latham through ball was fired into the back of the net by freshman Abby Linder for her first goal of 2014.
The Golden Eagle defense took it from there over the final three and a half minutes, guiding Tech to the finish line for the squad's second win of the season. Senior goalkeeper Rebecca Toler made two saves in the match, while on the opposite end of the equation Chattanooga's Hannah Dunn halted eight shots.
"I'm happy with our team as a whole, including the players that subbed in and helped out with some of the injuries that we had," Springthorpe said on the evening's outcome. "We had great energy tonight from the players on the bench as well. It was really an entire team victory."
Tech will try to make it three wins in the last four matches on Sunday, traveling to Arkansas-Little Rock for a 1 p.m. kickoff.