By Thomas Corhern, TTU Athletics Media Relations
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The wait is over for the Tennessee Tech women's soccer team as they return to their first NCAA Tournament since 2000 – and they won't have to travel far as the Golden Eagles will head to Nashville for the postseason's opening round, taking on Southeastern Conference champion Vanderbilt.
Tech (7-6-8) will take on the Commodores at 7 PM Friday night at the Vanderbilt Soccer Complex.
It's been a long season since the Golden Eagles took on Vanderbilt back on August 21. The Commodores took a 6-0 victory on Tech's home field as Sydney Watts and Olivia Stafford both put a pair of goals on the board, while Susanna Soderman and Maci Teater each added a tally.
Vanderbilt enters the NCAA field with a 15-3-2 record, including a 7-2-1 mark in SEC play. The No. 8-ranked Commodores are 8-0-1 at home this season.
It took to penalty kicks to stave off No. 25 LSU in the SEC championship match, as LSU scored one in the first half, then Vandy squared things up in the 69th minute as Courtney Jones' free kick was deflected to Vivian Akyirem and past LSU keeper Audur Scheving.
There was nothing doing in the overtimes, sending the match to penalty kicks. Mary Beth McLaughlin broke the tie in the shootout, then Vanderbilt goalkeeper Sara Wojdelko – the SEC Goalkeeper of the Year – deflected the potential equalizer to give the Commodores the title.
Tech is coming into the field with a 6-0-3 record in Ohio Valley Conference play, winning four straight regular-season titles and the conference crown for the first time in 25 years. The Golden Eagles had to go to the penalty kick shootout in the semifinal against Southern Indiana, but that wasn't the case in Sunday's title finale as Katie Toney put Tech on the board in the 79th minute on a header off of a feed from Tori Soutuyo, then a foul in the box put Toney on penalty kick duty just 34 seconds later. Toney's kick skated past the diving keeper to put Tech up 2-0.
Maggie Conrad, the OVC tournament MVP, had five impressive saves in the match, while Toney, Melina Hamm and Ebba Melin were all named to the all-tournament team.
Photo | Thomas Corhern, TTU Athletics Media Relations
