By Dylan Vazzano, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – A topsy-turvy second half that featured eight combined goals, four lead changes and four ties paved the way to a 4-4 draw in a seesaw sort of affair between the Tennessee Tech soccer team and Columbia Sunday evening.
Scoreless at intermission, the rollercoaster ride of the second stanza began to take shape in the 51st minute with a Nata Ramirez goal for the first of the eight scores after the break. The Lion lead would prove to be short lived after Tech (0-4-2) provided the first of its two equalizers in the period with a Katie Toney penalty-kick goal in the 54th minute for the junior forward's first of the year and 10th of her collegiate career.
Knotted at 1-1, Ramirez took flight for the second time in a 13-minute span with another goal in the 64th minute to give Columbia a 2-1 edge, but once again a quick response would be in the cards for the purple and gold. A Skyler Williams through ball was placed perfectly onto the shoe tops of a sprinting Neve Renwick, who found the back of the net in the 70th minute to start the match fresh at 2-2. Williams registered her second assist of the season, while the fun was only beginning for Renwick.
Fast forward 10 minutes later with the scene still situated at 2-2, the Sheffield, England native made her way to the top right of the box, twisted to her left around a Columbia defender before creating an angle and smoking a low liner tucked inside the left post for her second goal of the night to give the Golden Eagles a 3-2 advantage in the 80th minute. Renwick's pair of scores moved the sophomore forward to four net-finders this season.
Just like Tech did earlier in the half with its two equalizers, it was now Columbia's turn to pull even and did so a mere three minutes later. A Golden Eagle handball in the box allowed the Lions (0-1-2) a penalty kick, which Maia Tabion took full advantage of with a deadlocking score in the 83rd minute that pushed the proceedings to 3-3.
With a tie seemingly imminent, the Golden Eagles had other ideas thanks to an Anna Baker goal in the 86th minute for the freshman's second goal of the season and second in the last three matches. Renwick started the attack with a bid that was blocked in the box, but Baker capitalized on the ricochet behind a rocket into the upper left corner of the net that put Tech ahead 4-3 with just over four minutes remaining. Renwick tallied an assist on the play to wrap up a five-point evening.
With the finish line in sight, Columbia spoiled the chance at TTU's first victory of the year thanks to another Ramirez net-finder to cap off a hat trick for the senior out of Elizabeth, N.J. Dema Elder started the scoring with a ball over the top of the Tech defense that Ramirez caught up with and flicked over the leaping try of Maggie Conrad for the eighth and final goal of the night.
Conrad would end her evening with nine stops for the second-most in a match this season. Lauren Rodriguez recorded only one save across the way.
Ramirez led the contest with six shots and four on-frame, while Renwick produced a Tech-best four total attempts.
After capturing their second point of the season, the Golden Eagles will set their sights on a Sept. 5 match at Chattanooga. Thursday's in-state showdown is slated to start at 5 p.m. CT.
Photo by Jim Dillon
