By Dylan Vazzano, TTU Sports Information Coordinator
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – It's a lighter week than usual for the Tennessee Tech soccer team as the Golden Eagles (1-3-2) will have just one match over the weekend, a home Sunday tilt against Radford at 1 p.m. CT.
The matchup with the Highlanders (4-2-0) will be broadcast live on the Golden Eagle Sports Network via the Ohio Valley Conference Digital Network. CLICK HERE TO WATCH.
Having been unbeaten in its last three matches, Tech squares off against Radford for the ninth time in the all-time series, with the Highlanders leading the set, 5-3. The last matchup between the two clubs was in 2011.
The Golden Eagles continue to shine defensively as Tech enters Sunday's battle having allowed less than two goals in five consecutive affairs. In fact, in last weekend's two-match road swing down in Georgia, TTU surrendered just one goal in its pair of double-overtime draws, a combined 220 minutes of action.
The Golden Eagles blanked Mercer in a scoreless tie Friday evening in Macon, Ga., a night that saw Tech freshman Kari Naerdemann notch her first collegiate shutout after making five stops in the draw. The Herne, Germany native went on to make four more halts in Sunday's 1-1 knot against Georgia State, leading the 5-foot-9 freshman to her second straight adidas® OVC Goalkeeper of the Week award.
Overall, Naerdemann leads the Ohio Valley Conference with an impressive .857 save percentage.
Junior Kalyn Pruett got in on the conference accolade fun as well, taking home the adidas® OVC Defender of the Week award after showcasing both her defensive and offensive talents over the weekend. The Nashville native was one of just four Golden Eagles to log all 220 minutes in the pair of double-overtime matches, and in Sunday's affair with the Panthers, Pruett scored her first collegiate goal to give Tech a 1-0 edge in the 22nd minute.
Pruett's honor makes it back-to-back weeks in which TTU has received a pair of OVC awards after sophomore Mary Francis Hoots took home Defensive Player of the Week accolades on Sep. 1, and Naerdemann was handed the Co-Goalkeeper of the Week honors on the same day. Tech's four Player of the Week awards this season are the most in the conference, with Southeast Missouri serving as the only other school in the league with at least two so far this year.
Like TTU, Radford has just one match this week as well. The Highlanders come to Cookeville on a two-match win streak after slipping past VMI, 1-0, on Sep. 4, before defeating USC Upstate, 2-1, on Sep. 6.
RU has used a balanced attack this season with seven different Highlanders finding the back of the net. Between the pipes, sophomore Katie McCormick has played all but one half this year, allowing eight goals in six matches, making 28 saves in the process for a .778 save-percentage.
Admission to all Golden Eagle home regular season matches is free of charge.
