By Dylan Vazzano, TTU Sports Information
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – A significant second half by the defending Atlantic Sun champion proved to be too much for the Tennessee Tech soccer team, as Lipscomb claimed four goals after intermission on the way to a 4-0 victory Sunday night in Nashville.
The Golden Eagles (0-2-0) notched the first shot on-goal in the second stanza behind a Yao Giada Zhou attempt that was gobbled up by Sydney Jones in the 51st minute, but moments later, the Bisons found a way to break the nil-nil knot. Alivia Carapazza's initial try in the box was blocked by the TTU defense, but Kelli Beiler found a way to gain possession and ultimately deposit one into the back of the net for the tilt's first score in the 54th minute.
Carapazza, who claimed an assist along with Emanuela Schurch on the net-finder, found a way to double up the Bisons margin less than 10 minutes later with her first goal of 2022 in the 62nd minute.
Kale'a Perry secured the Bisons (1-1-0) third goal in the 62nd minute after capitalizing on a feed from Faith Adams to push the Lipscomb lead to 3-0, before Grace Oliver capped off the Bisons' scoring with a strike in the 81st minute that saw Haley Williams register an assist on the club's final goal.
Lipscomb outpaced Tech 13-4 in the shots department, which included a 9-4 edge in shots on-goal. Maggie Conrad collected five saves in between the pipes, while Sydney Jones stopped four shots in her clean sheet effort.
The two in-state foes played to a scoreless draw after the tilt's first 45 minutes in a defensive sort of a stanza that featured a combined five total shots, four of which were on-goal. Tech kickstarted the quartet of attempts on-frame with a Chloe Smith try in the third minute, before Gabby Garcia put on-point in the 11th minute that was stopped by Jones.
Garcia, Smith, Giada Zhou and Jaiden Weston each attempted a shot in the contest.
The Golden Eagles will return home for the squad's third match of the season, as TTU will welcome Furman to town for a Thursday, Aug. 25 meeting in Cookeville. Kickoff with the Paladins is slated for 6 p.m. CT and admission to Tech Soccer Field is free of charge.
Photo by Jim Dillon