By Dylan Vazzano, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech soccer team prepares for a swift stretch on the road, as the Golden Eagles travel to Eastern Illinois for a Friday showdown with the Panthers in the club's only clash of the weekend. First kick in Charleston is slated for 3 p.m. CT.
Live stats is available for Friday's contest at EIU. Click here to view.
A look at Tech
With the regular season down to its final three matches, the Golden Eagles (6-5-4, 4-1-2 OVC) are currently sitting in sole possession of third place in the conference behind a recent hot stretch that has seen Tech claim three consecutive victories, highlighted by back-to-back shutout nods in the club's last two contests. The Golden Eagles enter Friday's clash in Charleston having blanked Murray State with a 3-0 win on Friday, Oct. 11, before carding a clean sheet with a 1-0 victory at Jacksonville State on Sunday, Oct. 13.
Friday's triumph over the Racers handed Murray State its first OVC loss of the season and only fourth since the start of 2015. With 15 points the Racers are currently sitting in second in the conference, a point ahead of the purple and gold. SEMO is atop the OVC standings with 18 points.
Not only do the Golden Eagles head to EIU on a three match winning streak, but TTU brings a whole host of momentum up north following a week that featured its fair share of program history. With Sunday's win over Jacksonville State, Tech head coach Steve Springthorpe earned his 43rd career victory to tie Greg Stone for the most career wins by a head coach in program history.
On Tuesday, Tech achieved a program first after hoisting all three Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Week accolades, the only school in the conference to make that claim this season. Kendall Powell secured the OVC Offensive Player of the Week award, while Rachel Blow took home the OVC Defensive Player of the Week honor and Isabelle Austin was named the OVC Goalkeeper of the Week.
Powell produced three scores in Tech's last two matches, including the game-winner Sunday at Jacksonville State with a strike in the 34th minute. The Cookeville native's team-leading five goals put Powell in a tie for fifth in the league.
Blow did not leave the pitch in TTU's back-to-back shutouts, while the 5-foot-7 senior also found the back of the net to unwrap the scoring in Tech's 3-0 win over Murray State on Friday. Blow's missile from deep snuck inside the far post in the eighth minute for the Boca Raton, Fla. product's first goal of the season and second of her TTU tenure.
As far as Austin is concerned, the 5-foot-8 junior's consecutive clean sheets give her three shutouts this season in her first year as the Tech starting keeper. The Sylvania, Ohio native heads into Friday's match at EIU as the OVC leader in goals against average during league play with a 0.81 mark. Austin's .829 save percentage during conference action is good enough for second in the OVC.
A look at Eastern Illinois
The Panthers (3-8-2, 2-4-1 OVC) are currently in a three-way tie with Austin Peay and Morehead State for the final spot in the OVC tournament with seven points during conference play. EIU has posted a 2-1 mark over the club's last three OVC battles, falling 3-2 in overtime to SIUE on Oct. 13 after picking up wins over Jacksonville State on Oct. 4 and Morehead State on Oct. 6.
Eight different Panthers have split the pipes this year, paced by Lexi Ketterhagen's three goals. The 5-foot-7 senior is also the squad leader with eight points thanks to a pair of assists on her 2019 offensive resume.
Senior keeper Sara Teteak leads the OVC with 87 saves this season and is one of three goalkeepers, including Isabelle Austin, with two shutouts during conference play.
Eastern Illinois leads the all-time series 18-4-6 over the Golden Eagles, which includes a 2-1 win in Cookeville in last year's regular-season finale that kept Tech out of the OVC Tournament. The two clubs played to a scoreless draw the last time they locked up in Charleston back in 2017.
Photo by Thomas Corhern
