By Dylan Vazzano, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – A five-goal second half that featured three different lead changes ultimately saw the Tennessee Tech soccer team score within the final two minutes to cap off a thrilling comeback in a 3-2 victory over UT Martin in Thursday evening's in-state tangle at Tech Soccer Field.
Squared away at 2-2 in the 89th minute, Bailey Taylor split the pipes for the game-winning goal to help keep the purple and gold as the OVC's only undefeated team, and in the process, run Tech's overall unbeaten streak to eight straight, tying the 2021 squad for the second-longest surge in school history. The Golden Eagles (6-4-4, 5-0-1 OVC) have now gone unbeaten in 20-straight OVC regular-season contests dating back to the beginning of October 2021.
Taylor's dramatics pushed Tech to the finish line after Yao Giada Zhou provided the equalizing goal in the 77th minute for the San Michele al Tagliamento, Italy native's second net-finder of the seesaw affair. Giada Zhou started the scoring with a penalty-kick goal in the 54th minute, before UT Martin responded by finding the back of the net twice in a three-minute span to go ahead 2-1 for TTU's first deficit in a match since Sept. 7 at UAB, a stretch of 702 minutes of game action.
"Well first off, tonight was just a great, competitive game," Golden Eagle head coach Steve Springthorpe said. "You have to give a lot of credit to UT Martin's group. They fought all night and showed resiliency when they went down in tonight's match. At the same time, our team showed a lot of resolve in finding a way to come back and get a late goal to win it. Overall, I thought our team played well tonight. There are still some things we need to fix going forward, but it's conference play and it's points for us, and at the end of the day we picked up the three we wanted to get no matter how crazy that game was."
After a scoreless first half that saw the Golden Eagles blank a team in the first stanza for the ninth-consecutive match, Tech wasted no time in jumping on the board early in the second period. Katie Toney, who created opportunities for the purple and gold all night, was taken down inside the box to lead TTU to a penalty-kick chance. Cool, calm and collected, Giada Zhou buried the try in the upper-left corner of the net to unwrap the scoring.
The Skyhawks (5-7-3, 2-2-2 OVC) battled back, first knotting the tilt on a breakaway goal by Makayla Robinson in the 69th minute, before officially taking their first lead of the contest mere moments later. Peyton Cook set up Rachel Okoro on the right side of the box in the 72nd minute and Okoro wasted no time with a drive that deflected off of a Golden Eagle and into the back of the net to push UTM to a 2-1 edge. Cook collected an assist on the go-ahead goal.
Despite Tech facing its first deficit in over a month, the Golden Eagles refused to be denied, and did so rather quickly with the equalizer five minutes later. Melina Hamm fed Sami Cullum, who promptly drilled a lengthy ball to the edge of the box and to the waiting shoe tops of Giada Zhou. The senior midfielder used a quick touch to split the pipes in the 77th minute for her second score of the evening and OVC-leading sixth of the year. Hamm tallied her third assist of the season on the play, while Cullum registered her second helper.
In the waning moments of regulation, the Golden Eagles officially went on top for good behind Taylor's dramatic score for TTU's latest goal in a match this year. The winner was made possible from Neve Renwick, who distributed a feed that led Taylor in front of the net, before the senior forward took care of the rest that put Taylor in rarified air. Not only is the goal the fifth of her swan-song campaign, but Taylor's take places the Powell, Tenn. product in a three-way tie with Andrea Meloff (2009-12) and Robyn Vince (2001-02) for fifth place on the program's career scoring list with 17 goals.
"We had not faced that in a while where we were trailing in a match," Springthorpe said. "We have been fortunate to be able to be up in games and to find a way to hang on in them. Tonight of course was a different story in going behind, but our team just kept battling to get goals back and ultimately win it. That is something that takes an entire team effort, including everyone on our bench. They helped keep the energy level high and played a role in this comeback tonight. Going forward, I hope that's a lasting impression for us where we know we have the ability to come back, so if a similar situation happens again, we will have a strong belief that we can overcome a deficit. I am pleased with our fight and I know our entire group is excited about this one tonight."
Renwick, who assisted on Taylor's game-winning goal, compiled a career-high 10 shots in the tilt, the most by an OVC player in a single contest this season. Toney tallied a career-high six attempts as well. Cook paced the Skyhawks with four tries, all of which were on-goal.
Maggie Conrad secured six saves in the victory, while Poppy Bastock fended off 10 Tech attempts.
With three matches remaining in the regular season, the Golden Eagles will start a two-match road swing with a Sunday afternoon tilt at Southeast Missouri. Kickoff in Cape Girardeau is set for 1 p.m. CT.
Photo by Jim Dillon
