By Dylan Vazzano, Sports Information Coordinator
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech soccer team's season has indeed officially kicked off, however for those in the Upper Cumberland, this weekend promises to have a more definitive feel to the beginning of the year as the Golden Eagles make their home debut. TTU (1-1-0) is set to welcome Wright State to Tech Soccer Field for the home opener Friday at 7 p.m. CT, before Mercer comes to town Sunday at 1 p.m. to put a lid on the weekend's festivities.
Both matches will be broadcast live on the Golden Eagle Sports Network via the Ohio Valley Conference Digital Network. Click here to watch.
Tech unwraps its home slate on the heels of a season-opening two-match road swing in North Carolina that saw the Golden Eagles split their pair of tilts. TTU opened the campaign with a 2-0 win at UNC Asheville for the program's first shutout victory to begin a season since 2004, before being upended at UNC Greensboro, 3-0.
Friday's Bulldog blanking marked the eighth shutout in the brief career of sophomore goalkeeper Kari Naerdemann to move the Herne, Germany native into third place on TTU's all-time career list. The 5-foot-9 goalkeeper fended off three shots, two of which saw her go full extension into a leap to keep UNCA off the board. Despite allowing three goals in Sunday's match at UNCG, Naerdemann did register a career-high 12 saves, surpassing double digit stops for the second time in her Tech tenure.
Senior Abi Gearing, who paced last year's squad in goals and points, provided the bulk of the offense over the weekend, scoring both of Tech's goals in Friday night's nod. A pair of freshmen was responsible for both assists in the match as Victoria Breeden collected the first one and Kaitie Shipley produced the second. The Golden Eagles have seven freshmen on this year's squad, and including senior Julia Rebollo, Tech has eight newcomers on the team.
Wright State (0-2-0) has had to run through the gauntlet in opening its 2016 campaign, squaring off against two nationally ranked opponents in its first two matches of the season. The Raiders lost 3-0 at Notre Dame on Aug. 19, before falling 4-2 at Ohio State on Tuesday in a match that saw WSU fight back from an early 2-0 deficit.
A 47th minute score by red-shirt junior Niki Romero was followed by a 58th minute goal from sophomore Mattie Cutts to knot the contest, but the Buckeyes responded with the affair's final two goals en route to securing the victory.
Wright State took the only meeting in the all-time series between the two teams, a home victory over the Golden Eagles in 2014.
Sunday's tilt with Mercer (1-1-0) features a rematch of a scoreless tie from last year's battle between the two clubs in Macon, Ga., the first of four ties for Tech in 2015. Kari Naerdemann earned her first collegiate shutout in the match, stopping four of the Bears' 12 total shots. The Golden Eagles took 10 shots in the match, putting six on-goal.
Before making the trip to Cookeville, Mercer will be at Kennesaw State Friday evening. The Bears have split their first two matches in 2016, routing Alabama A&M 6-0 on Aug. 19, prior to a 3-0 home loss against Oklahoma State on Aug. 21.
The Golden Eagles have never lost to Mercer, entering Sunday with a 3-0-1 mark in the all-time series with the Bears.
Admission to all Tech home regular season matches is free of charge.
