By Dylan Vazzano, Sports Information Coordinator
RADFORD, Va. – A Radford goal in the 21st minute was it for the match as the Tennessee Tech soccer team was downed, 1-0, to mark just the second time this season that TTU was shutout.
Following three unsuccessful attempts in the early stages of the contest, the Highlanders (2-3-0) put one through the pipes on their fourth shot of the tilt, a Nelia Perez try in the 21st minute for the freshman's first collegiate goal. The Newport News, Va. native collected a through ball from the right side courtesy of junior Jordan Lundin, before making a move and sneaking one home to put Radford on top, 1-0.
The goal was the first one surrendered in a first half this season by Tech (4-3-1), snapping a string of seven-straight matches of scoreless first periods to begin the year.
"Congratulations to Radford on its win, I thought they played with a ton of passion and desire and just beat us tonight," TTU head coach Steve Springthorpe said. "For us, we didn't respond as well as we should have in the first 20 minutes of the game and we didn't play to our team's capabilities. Ultimately as a coach, I have to take responsibility for not having us prepared for kickoff. We just weren't ready. Now we have to look past this and try to find a way to rebound Sunday against Western Carolina."
Offensively, the Golden Eagles peppered 10 shots in the affair by 10 different players, the fourth time in the last five matches that TTU has produced double digits in the shots department. Radford notched 13, four of which came from Perez to pace the contest.
Sophomore Kari Naerdemann made five saves, three in the first half. Across the way, Radford's Courtenay Kaplan secured the shutout with three stops.
Tech closes out its non-conference slate Sunday afternoon, traveling to Western Carolina for a noon CT start.
Photo by Jim Dillon
