By Dylan Vazzano, TTU Sports Information Coordinator
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Off to its best conference start since 2000, the Tennessee Tech soccer team looks to keep the momentum going with a pair of home matches this week. The Golden Eagles (6-5-3, 4-1-0) unwrap a two-match home stand with a Thursday evening showdown against Austin Peay at 7 p.m. CT, before welcoming in first place Murray State for Tech's Senior Day on Sunday at 1 p.m.
Both matches will be broadcast live on the Golden Eagle Sports Network via the Ohio Valley Conference Digital Network. CLICK HERE TO WATCH.
Sunday's match against the Racers (9-4-0, 5-0-0) is also Senior Day and will feature a special pre-game ceremony honoring Tech's four seniors, Allison Barlow, Taylor Blazei, Mackenzie Miller, and Taylor Sutton.
Unbeaten in nine of their last 11 matches, the Golden Eagles begin a stretch run toward the playoffs with five tilts remaining in the regular season. Thursday's home affair with the Governors (6-7-0, 2-3-0) is the first of four that will take place at Tech Soccer Field.
Defense was once again the name of the game in TTU's recent road trip that saw the Golden Eagles allow only one goal in 180 minutes, splitting its pair of matches up north against Eastern Illinois and SIU Edwardsville. After a 1-0 loss at the hands of EIU on Oct. 9, Tech showcased resiliency in fighting back for a 1-0 victory over SIUE on Oct. 11.
The match with the Cougars featured the top two defensive teams in the OVC in terms of goals allowed, goals against average, and save percentage, and it played out that way. TTU found a way to scratch across the tilt's only goal, scoring in the 29th minute on a Kalyn Pruett net-finder that gave the Nashville native her club-leading third goal of the season.
Pruett was able to split the pipes off of yet another Tech set piece as sophomore Karigan Owens ripped a corner into the box that deflected off the attempt of junior Abi Gearing, before Pruett ripped it on home to put the Golden Eagles ahead.
Owens and Gearing both notched assists on the play, giving Owens four on the year (all coming in the last six matches), and Gearing now has three to push her to a Tech-best seven points on the season. Owens is tied with fellow sophomore Zoie Hensely for the most assists on the squad, and the two are currently in a tie for second place the Ohio Valley Conference.
Defensively, Tech has proven to be one of the best in the OVC, sitting in a tie for first in the conference in goals allowed, second in goals against average, and third in shutouts. Freshman goalkeeper Kari Naerdemann, who collected eight key saves to record her fifth career shutout in Sunday's win at SIUE, still leads the OVC with an .868 save percentage.
After a 2-1 beginning to its conference campaign, Austin Peay has suffered back-to-back OVC defeats, allowing six goals in the process. The Govs have shown their ability to find the back of the net this season, leading the OVC with 34 goals (10 more than the next highest school) and 83 points (18 more than the next highest school). Freshman McKenzie Dixon's nine scores have paced the conference, one of three Governors with at least six goals and 14 points.
Tech leads the all-time series, 8-4-1, with the two teams drawing in Clarksville last year for the first ever tie in the all-time set.
Murray State currently sits atop the OVC with a perfect 5-0 conference record. The Racers have shown their ability to win in a variety of ways with the club coming off back-to-back 1-0 victories over Jacksonville State and Belmont, after scoring four goals in each of the previous two affairs in wins over Southeast Missouri and UT Martin.
Sophomore Harriet Withers leads the team with six goals and 14 points, one of three Racers with at least four goals and 10 points.
Murray State narrowly leads the all-time series with a 9-7-1 edge over Tech. The Racers will play at Morehead State on Friday, before locking up with the Golden Eagles on Sunday.
Admission to all Tech home regular season matches is free of charge.
