By Dylan Vazzano, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Early scores in each half coupled with a pair of key Maggie Conrad saves on penalty kicks led the Tennessee Tech soccer team to its first victory of the season. The Golden Eagles scored a goal within the first 10 minutes of the opening stanza to go along with two goals within the first 10 minutes of the second to knock off Southeast Missouri 3-0 at Tech Soccer Field.
Conrad's seven stops, which included denying the Redhawks on a pair of PK's, helped guide the Golden Eagles (1-7-4, 1-1-0 OVC) to their first clean sheet of the season.
Offensively, Meredith Nye split the pipes in the first half, while Katie Toney and Neve Renwick did the honors in the second to help push the purple and gold to its second-highest goal output in a match this season. The Tech victory is also the first in the head coaching career of Corey Boyd.
Nye unwrapped the scoring in the 10th minute with her 10th career goal, capitalizing on a Tech corner kick. Lucia Cuadra's corner moved to a crowd of Golden Eagles set up in front of the net. After an initial try was redirected, Skylar Williams' attempt was batted back to Nye, who burred the chance into the bottom left corner of the net to give the Golden Eagles the 1-0 edge. Williams earned her OVC-leading fourth assist on the go-ahead goal.
Leading 1-0, SEMO (0-7-1, 0-1-1 OVC) nearly squared the score in the final minute of the first half, but Conrad's first penalty-kick denial ensured a Golden Eagle lead into intermission. Conrad's halt off an Elizabeth Rater bid in the last 30 seconds of the period kept Tech on top into the break.
The Golden Eagles came out soaring in the second half with two quick scores to extend their edge to 3-0. Nye helped start the first second-half score after settling SEMO's try at clearing before pushing a pass to Cuadra, who promptly dished it to Toney inside the box. With her back to the goal, Toney turned and let loose with a drive that snuck under the crossbar in the 50th minute for her third goal of the season. Nye and Cuadra each earned assists on the play.
Five minutes later Tech put the finishing touches on the tilt's scoring behind a Renwick goal for the sophomore forward's OVC-leading seventh score of the season. The Sheffield, England product smacked a drive that deflected off a Redhawk and into the back of the net to put the Golden Eagles ahead 3-0 in the 55th minute.
Renwick would go on to tie a season-high with seven shots in the match. Cayla Koerner paced SEMO's side with four total attempts. The Golden Eagles outshot the Redhawks, 17-11.
With just over a minute to go in the affair, Conrad moved Tech to the finish line with her seventh and final save, once again spoiling SEMO's penalty-kick chance. The Golden Eagle junior goalkeeper made a leaping stop on a Justi Nelson attempt to essentially secure the shutout.
Sophia Elfrink made just two saves for SEMO.
Fresh off checking the win column for the first time this season, Tech will prepare for its third OVC match with a road battle at UT Martin on Sunday, Sept. 29. Kickoff from Skyhawk Soccer Field is slated for 2 p.m. CT.
Photo by Jim Dillon
