By Dylan Vazzano, TTU Sports Information
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – Early fireworks and late dramatics helped push the Tennessee Tech soccer team to its second-consecutive draw in a 1-1 deadlock at Chattanooga Thursday evening.
After playing Columbia to a 4-4 stalemate in Tech's last tangle on Sunday, the Golden Eagles (0-4-3) picked up a second-straight point after trading first-half scores with the Mocs. Tech jumped on the board in the 11th minute behind a Katie Toney penalty-kick goal before Chattanooga (1-4-2) squared the score in the 29th minute.
The scene stayed 1-1 until the waning moments of regulation before Maggie Conrad kept the knot tied with a clutch save inside the final 20 seconds of the match. A Chattanooga corner caromed off Clarissa Salinas appearing destined to find the back of the net, but a leaping Conrad punched the try over the crossbar to essentially seal the deal on another Golden Eagle deadlock.
Conrad's denial was one of seven stops for the junior, which included a key save on a Kelly Tuerff free kick from just outside the box that Conrad calmly collected in the 81st minute. Mocs keeper Caroline Ekern notched four saves across the way, but was also involved in the play that propelled the purple and gold to the first goal of the night.
A through ball played out ahead of Neve Renwick was chased down by the sophomore who gained possession beyond the back of the Chattanooga defense. With only Ekern to beat, the Mocs keeper rushed toward Renwick and was called for a foul in her attempt to keep the Golden Eagles off the board.
Tech took advantage of the infraction thanks to a Toney goal that saw the McMinnville, Tenn. native first ping a drive off the left post before smacking the rebound home for her second goal of the season and second in as many matches.
Renwick would go on to lead the match in shots behind a season-high six attempts. Toney took four shots as the pair combined for 10 of TTU's 11 bids and all five tries on-goal. Tuerff, Taylor Morris and Caroline Richvalsky paced the Mocs with three shots apiece.
Richvalsky was responsible for the lone Chattanooga goal thanks to a top-shelf finish in the 29th minute.
The Golden Eagles will return home to gear up for a two-match homestand that will unwrap on Sunday with a contest against South Alabama. Kickoff with the Jaguars is set for 12 p.m. CT and admission to Tech Soccer Field is free of charge.
Photo by Jim Dillon
