By Dylan Vazzano, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – A Chattanooga goal just over five minutes into overtime spoiled the ending of a season-long three-match homestand for the Tennessee Tech soccer team Sunday evening. Scoreless through regulation, Samantha Shaw powered one into the back of the net in the 96th minute to give the Mocs (2-2-0) a 1-0 extra-session victory.
Grace Klippenstein set up the winner with a cross that connected with Mackenzie Smith inside the box. Smith's extra feed found Shaw in close, who then smoked one into the upper left corner of the net for her third goal of the year. Klippenstein and Smith were both credited with assists on the play.
Despite the loss, the Golden Eagles (1-3-0) did manage to produce a season-high 10 shots, collecting six in the first stanza and four in the second. Freshman Taylor Rhodes paced the purple and gold with a career-high three attempts, including a pair of tries that nearly gave Tech a lead in regulation.
Late in the first half the 5-foot-6 rookie blasted one from well outside the box that banged off the crossbar in the 41st minute to keep the match scoreless. In the 74th minute off of a corner, Rhodes found a way to get an attempt off through heavy traffic that caused UTC keeper Abbey Saddler to making a leaping fingertip stop that ultimately saw the ball drift off the crossbar and over the net.
Rhodes' attempt was one of three shots on-goal for the Golden Eagles. Meg Ivey put one on-point in the 40th minute and Natalie Rhodes put one on-frame in the 45th minute.
Sydney Weinstein started in between the pipes and made one stop in nearly 42 minutes of action before leaving the contest with an injury. Saddler came in and went the rest of the match with two halts to her Sunday ledger.
Isabelle Austin secured six saves, including one in overtime.
The Mocs posted 13 shots in the affair, led by Mackenzie Smith and Kelly Tuerff's three tries apiece.
With Tech's season-long three-match homestand now in the rearview mirror, the Golden Eagles will take aim on a two-match weekend road swing. TTU will head to Western Kentucky for a 4 p.m. CT Friday, Sept. 3 meeting, before closing out the brief stretch away from Cookeville with a Sunday, Sept. 5 affair at Xavier. Sunday's first kick is scheduled for noon CT.
Photo by Christian Murphy