By Dylan Vazzano, TTU Sports Information Coordinator
CHARLESTON, Ill. – The Tennessee Tech soccer team was handed its first loss of the conference season Friday afternoon, falling 1-0 at the hands of Eastern Illinois, despite holding a commanding 12-6 edge in the shot department over the Panthers (3-9-2, 1-3-1).
The loss snaps the Golden Eagles' (5-5-3, 3-1-0) three-match win streak to open up OVC play, and is only the second defeat in the last 10 tilts for Tech.
"Congratulations goes to EIU, they had a great game plan today and executed well," TTU head coach Steve Springthorpe on the afternoon's outcome. "From our perspective, we definitely could have played better. As a coach, I should have done a better job of preparing us. Our team is doing exactly what our coaches say, and I don't know if I prepared them enough for this crucial game."
The match's lone goal occurred in the 30th minute behind an Ali Carlson score, the 5-foot-5 sophomore's first of the season. Sophomore Madi Fisher, who was credited with an assist on the play, set up the go-ahead goal with a shot that deflected off the try of Carlson and into the back of the net. The score marked just the third time in 13 matches this year that Tech has yielded a goal in the first half.
The score was also one of just three Eastern Illinois shots on-goal in the affair as the TTU defense simply did not allow the Panthers many opportunities throughout the course of 90 minutes. Freshman Kari Naerdemann was forced into making only two saves, while EIU's Maddie Lyon stopped seven shots en route to the shutout.
Sophomore Cassidy Ortman, who came into the affair with goals in consecutive tilts, led the match with three shots, all of which were on-goal. Junior Abi Gearing tallied two shots on-goal.
"Now we have to turn around and play a good SIUE team on Sunday," Springthorpe said, previewing the next matchup for Tech. "We will try to put this one past us and come out on Sunday with a more positive outcome."
Sunday's match with the Cougars is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. CT.
