By Dylan Vazzano, Sports Information Coordinator
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Louisiana Tech scored with only 50 seconds remaining in double-overtime to hand the Tennessee Tech soccer team its first home loss of the season, taking down the Golden Eagles, 2-1, Sunday afternoon. The tough defeat makes it a 2-1 home stand for TTU (3-2-0) after the Golden Eagles collected shutout wins over Wright State (Aug. 26) and Mercer (Aug. 28) to kick off the trio of three-straight in Cookeville.
La Tech (5-1-1) freshman Jenna Dages ended the chaotic battle between the two schools with a goal 10 seconds into the second overtime's final minute, capping off a back and forth affair that featured three scores after halftime. Dages gathered in a loose ball, before making a move and firing from the top of the box to seal deal for the Lady Techsters, running the club's unbeaten streak to five-straight.
Following a first half that saw only three total shots, the two teams opened things up after the intermission en route to a combined 19 shots, seven of which occurred once regulation ended. Despite not registering a shot on-goal in the tilt's first 50 minutes, La Tech found a way to strike first, scoring on a penalty kick following a Golden Eagle foul inside the box off of a Lady Techster corner kick.
Although she guessed right, sophomore Kari Naerdemann came up just short on stopping junior Haley Laque's penalty kick, a roller that snuck inside the far post to put the Lady Techsters ahead 1-0 in the 51st minute.
TTU would threaten throughout the rest of the second-half, highlighted by a Dani Shartouny try that hammered off the near-side post during the freshman's streak across the end line in the 68th minute, and an Abi Gearing attempt on a header that was halted on a diving save by Kylee Seto in the 79th minute, but Tech finally struck for gold in the 84th minute.
A Karigan Owens' free-kick zoomed off of Mary Francis Hoots, before Kalyn Pruett skied high to head it into the back of the net, providing TTU with the equalizer on the senior's first goal of the season. Owens collected her third assist of the year, and Hoots her second, on the dramatic sequence of events.
Kari Naerdemann fended off two shots in nearly 110 minutes of action, while Kylee Seto made three stops in the win.
La Tech outshot the Golden Eagles, 12-10, five of which came from senior Kathryn Sloan. Freshmen Nora Vicsek and Dani Shartouny paced TTU with two shots apiece.
Five Golden Eagles played in all 109 minutes as Kari Naerdemann, Karigan Owens, Lauren Brewer, Mary Francis Hoots and Abi Gearing went the distance.
Tech will now have a weekend chock full of in-state flavor with the club traveling to Murfreesboro to lock up with Middle Tennessee on Friday, Sep. 9 at 7 p.m. CT, before hosting East Tennessee State at 7 p.m. on Sunday.
