By Dylan Vazzano, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech soccer team will seal the deal on a season-long tying two-match away swing, as the Golden Eagles head down to UAB for a Thursday evening tilt against the Blazers. Kickoff from PNC Field in Birmingham, Ala. is slated for 6 p.m. CT.
The match will be broadcast live on ESPN+. Click here to watch. Live stats will also be available. Click here to view.
A look at Tennessee Tech
The Golden Eagles (0-3-2) make their way down to Birmingham on the heels of a 5-2 loss at IUPUI on Sunday in the club's first leg of the two-match road journey. Despite the setback, Tech did manage a season-high in goals scored, with Katie Toney splitting the pipes in the 53rd minute and Bailey Taylor finding the back of the net in the 69th minute.
Both TTU forwards secured their first goals of the senior, while Taylor also assisted on Toney's score to wrap up a three-point showing for the Powell, Tenn. product. Freshman Sydney Clements provided the assist on Taylor's goal for her first-career helper, and in the process, became the fifth different Golden Eagle this season to notch their first career goal or assist.
Fellow freshmen Abigail Davis and Tori Soutuyo have each picked up their first career score this year, while Clements joins Taylor Clark and Sami Cullum as Golden Eagles to tally their first career assist.
Freshman Neve Renwick still leads the purple and gold with nine shots, a mark that places the Sheffield, England native in a tie for fifth in the OVC. Junior goalkeeper Maggie Conrad's 25 saves put the Cedar Rapids, Iowa product in a knot for first in the league in that department.
Selma Askildsen and Macy Carter enter Thursday's tangle as the only two Golden Eagles who have not left the pitch at any point, with both defenders accounting for all 450 minutes of possible action this season.
A look at UAB
After falling in their first two affairs with home losses to Georgia Southern and No. 7 Alabama, the Blazers (3-2-1) have rolled off a four-match unbeaten streak that has featured wins over Alabama State, Jacksonville State and Stephen F. Austin to go along with a scoreless draw at TCU. UAB has outscored its opponents 8-1 in the quartet of contests, which includes three consecutive clean sheets in results against Stephen F. Austin on Sunday, TCU on Aug. 31 and Jacksonville State on Aug. 27.
UAB has used three different goalkeepers this season behind appearances out of Eve Beyer, Olivia Mickey and Anika Toth. Beyer and Toth have received the lion's share of the responsibilities, with Beyer accumulating 270 minutes in net and Toth totaling 242 minutes between he pipes. Beyer has posted a pair of shutouts, made 12 saves and allowed one goal for a .923 save percentage, while Toth has tallied one clean sheet, picked up seven saves and surrendered two goals for a .778 save percentage.
Offensively, six different Blazers have accounted for the team's eight scores this year, with Carlyn Presley serving as the only UAB player with more than one goal behind three net-finders. The Austin, Texas native leads the club with 12 shots and nine shots on-goal. Eight different Blazers have an assist this season.
Inside the series
Thursday night's matchup will mark the third meeting in the all-time series. UAB has seized both previous get-togethers, including a 2-0 triumph in Birmingham in the last clash on Sept. 8, 2017. The two teams were scheduled to square off in Cookeville last year, but the match was ultimately wiped away due to inclement weather.
Photo by Jim Dillon
