By Dylan Vazzano, TTU Sports Information
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Evansville upended the Tennessee Tech soccer team's chances at an unblemished road trip as the Purple Aces downed the Golden Eagles 3-0 Friday night in the first of two weekend clashes in Indiana. After scoring once in the first half, Evansville (2-3-0) padded its lead late with a pair of goals in the tilt's final nine minutes.
Emily Wolak found the back of the net in the 81st minute, scoring off a deflection that caromed right back to the Rochester, N.Y. native to jump the Evansville edge to 2-0. Nearly six minutes later, Emily Ormson scored on a shot from inside the box that padded the Purple Ace advantage to 3-0.
Evansville jumped on the board in the 19th minute thanks to a Maggie Leazer goal, made possible behind back-to-back successful passes from Sara Osinski and Jayme-Lee Hunter. Osinski slipped one through to Hunter, who then found Leazer for the score. Osinksi and Hunter were each credited with assists.
Sophomore Viviana Lomeli led the Golden Eagles (2-3-0) with two shots in the match, tying a career high that has been set on three occasions, including in each of the last two matches. The Jalisco, Mexico product was also responsible for one of Tech's two shots on-goal, an attempt in the 61st minute. Senior Courtney Manning had the other TTU shot on-goal with a try in the 31st minute. Fellow senior Molly Kafader accounted for the other Golden Eagle shot.
Emily Ormson and Molly Lear paced the Purple Aces with three shots apiece. Lear and Maggie Leazer each took a match-high two shots on-goal.
Kari Naerdemann was kept busy all night with seven shots in her direction, gobbling up four of them. Michaela Till registered the win between the pipes for the Purple Aces with two saves.
Five Golden Eagles played in all 90 minutes as Kari Naerdemann, Kaitie Shipley, Taylor Hornback, Kaylee Sunders and Rachel Blow all went the distance.
Tech will attempt to rebound with a Sunday afternoon meeting at Purdue Fort Wayne in the final non-conference road match of the year. First kick is scheduled for noon CT.
Photo by Tony Marable