By Dylan Vazzano, Sports Information Coordinator
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – In a match the featured a season-high 26 shots, the Tennessee Tech soccer team checked the tie column for the first time in 2016 as the Golden Eagles and East Tennessee State played to a 1-1 deadlock Sunday night.
TTU (4-2-1) displayed a fair share of resiliency in fighting back from an early second-half set back, pulling even with the Buccaneers (3-3-1), who struck six minutes into the second period to break the scoreless knot. A 51st minute goal was countered by a Tech 58th minute score as junior Karigan Owens landed a free kick perfectly to Abi Gearing that saw the 5-foot-9 forward head it into the back of the net for the equalizer. Gearing added to her club lead with her fourth goal of the season, while Owens continues to pace the OVC with her sixth assist, surpassing last year's career-high.
"Overall I thought it was a good game tonight. Frankly anytime we play ETSU, it's a game where you get some space and get the chance to knock it around out there and I thought it showed that tonight," Tech head coach Steve Springthorpe said on the draw. "I think both teams deserved a result out of it. We had some really good opportunities and could've probably put some more away, but I'm proud of our team. We played two games over the weekend and got out of it with a win and a tie."
Senior Molly Collinson did the goal-scoring honors for the Bucs, knocking one through the pipes in the 51st minute after the chance was set up by both Emily McKerlie and Victoria Riesterer, each of whom collected assists on Collinson's first goal of the year. The net-finder was one of nine ETSU shots on-goal, eight of which were gobbled up by sophomore Kari Naerdemann, the Herne, Germany native's second-highest total of the year.
Scoreless at the break, Tech peppered a barrage of chances following the intermission with the Golden Eagles smacking 15 shots in the second period, and an additional six more after regulation. The 26 total attempts surpassed TTU's previous season-best of 19 against Mercer on Aug. 28.
"I told our team that we just got to keep doing that," Springthorpe said on the large volume of shots. "We want to generate more opportunities and we were able to do that tonight. I thought we had some real quality looks. We want to score more in the run of play, and tonight, it wasn't from a lack of opportunities because we definitely had our chances."
The Golden Eagles nearly put an end to the OT thriller towards the latter stages of the first extra session, courtesy of a Karigan Owens corner in the 99th minute. The La Grange, Ky. native's try slammed off an Abi Gearing attempt, a drive that missed upstairs. Then with 30 seconds remaining before the first overtime concluded, sophomore Mayra Tarraga Manzanal headed one from inside the box that was fended off by senior Jasmine Elliott, one of nine saves registered for the Preston, England native.
Tarraga Manzanal was one of seven Golden Eagles that attempted at least two shots, paced by senior Kalyn Pruett's five, and Karigan Owens and freshman Dani Shartouny's four. Cecilia Re and Molly Collinson led the Bucs charge with three each.
With the non-conference slate nearly in the books for Tech, the Golden Eagles will set their sights on the final two tilts before OVC play opens up on Sep. 23 at home against Jacksonville State. On Friday, Sep. 16, TTU will head to Radford for a 6 p.m. CT start, before concluding non-conference action at Western Carolina on Sunday, Sep. 18 at noon CT.
Photo by Jim Dillon
