By Dylan Vazzano, TTU Sports Information Coordinator
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – Another strong defensive effort wasn't enough for the Tennessee Tech soccer team, as the Golden Eagles (0-3-0) were upended 1-0 at the hands of East Tennessee State in Tech's first road match of the year.
For the third consecutive tilt, Tech held an opponent scoreless in the first half, running their first stanza scoreless streak to 135 minutes to begin the season. In fact, the Golden Eagles limited a Buccaneers (3-0-0) squad that came in with four first-half scores in two matches to zero shots on-goal in the first 45 minutes.
Offensively, TTU produced the only two shots on-goal in the first period, an 18th minute blast by senior Taylor Blazei, and a 22nd minute rip by sophomore Lauren Brewer. Blazei paced Tech with four shots overall, one off the pace of ETSU junior Molly Collinson's match-high five.
ETSU revved it up in the second half en route to peppering five shots on-goal, one of which found the back of the net for the affair's lone goal. Scoreless into the 59th minute, the Buccaneers broke through behind a Sarah Zadrazil score after the senior mid-fielder received a through ball and chipped it over the try of TTU freshman goalkeeper Kari Naerdemann for Zadrazil's third goal of the season.
The Golden Eagles attempt at a late equalizer went begging after an Abi Gearing drive in the 84th minute was gobbled up by junior goalkeeper Jasmine Elliot. The Elliot stop was one of three saves made by the Preston, England native, while Tech's Kari Naerdemann was forced to make just four halts of the course of the match.
Gearing was one of six Golden Eagles to play all 90 minutes in the match, joining junior Kalyn Pruett, sophomores Mary Francis Hoots and Zoie Hensley, and freshmen Alyssa Montgomery and Mayra Tarraga Manzanal.
The Buccaneers won the shot battle, 14-7.
Tech will return home for a piece of history Sunday evening, welcoming in the University of Alabama for TTU's first ever home match against an SEC school. Kickoff under the lights is slated for 7 p.m. CT.
