By Dylan Vazzano, TTU Sports Information Coordinator
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – In a match that appeared destined for overtime, UT Martin changed the script at Tech Soccer Field, scoring with only 34 seconds left in regulation to stun the Tennessee Tech soccer team, 2-1.
Deadlocked at 1-1 in the waning moments of the second half, Skyhawks' freshman Maggie Burkett peppered one between the pipes after receiving a cross off the foot of fellow freshman Katelyn Colvin to send UTM (6-10-0, 4-4-0) to its second consecutive win. Colvin and junior Saphyr Coombs-James both notched assists on the winner, with Combs-James setting up the scoring play with an initial feed to Colvin.
"Credit goes to Martin. They took it to us and played championship level soccer tonight," Golden Eagle head coach Steve Springthorpe said after his club dropped two matches in a row for the first time in nearly two months. "We should feel it. We need to feel the sting of this game, because that's how we are going to grow."
UT Martin's winner mirrored the match's first half conclusion, one that saw Tech (7-7-3, 5-3-0) strike in the stanza's final minute. With only 44 seconds remaining until intermission, senior Taylor Sutton smoked one from the top of the box that nicked off the cross bar and into the back of the net to send the Golden Eagles into the break with a 1-0 edge.
Sutton's score marked the second of the year for the Ballwin, Mo. native, while fellow senior Mackenzie Miller and junior Kalyn Pruett each collected their first assists of the season after setting up Sutton for the go-ahead goal.
"They [Sutton and Miller] stepped up and played well, and part of that is being a senior," Springthorpe said when asked about the pair of seniors that each have a goal and an assist in the last two matches. "They've been through a lot with this program over the last four years, and I'm happy for them. Taylor struck a nice goal to put us ahead right at the end of the half. I felt like we had momentum, but you've got to play both halves, and in the second half, we didn't perform as well as we should have."
The Skyhawks controlled the tilt's second stanza, outshooting the Golden Eagles, 15-4. 20 minutes into the half, one of the multiple UTM chances finally whistled home to square up the tilt. In the 71st minute, freshman Lisa Schmieder bent one through from the right side of the box into the top left corner of the net for the 5-foot-6 forward's fifth goal of the year.
The equalizer was made possible thanks to a pair of passes from Katelyn Colvin and Maggie Burket, each of whom was awarded assists on match-tying goal. Overall, Burkett wrapped up her evening with a three-point showing, while Colvin ended the affair with two assists.
Freshman Kari Naerdemann registered nine saves of the match, seven of which came in the second half. UTM's MaKenzie Crawford stopped a pair of Tech shots.
Saphya Coombs-James led the tilt with seven shots, while sophomore Zoie Hensley paced the Tech charge with three shots. Overall the Skyhawks outshot Tech, 23-8, and won the corner battle, 8-2.
"We are young team that's learning how to win. We've done a good job so far, but I challenged the team after the match. We need to be better on Sunday," Springthorpe said. "We'll see what our team is made of, and we'll see if we can back come after a tough loss like this and respond when we head down to SEMO."
Tech's match on Sunday at Southeast Missouri is scheduled to get underway at 1 p.m. CT.