Soccer team battles to the wire drops 2-1 match in final seconds
EFFERSON CITY, Tenn. -- First year Tennessee Tech soccer coach
Becky Fletcher was able to evaluate her team in 11-on-11
competition for the first time Tuesday evening, as the Golden
Eagles traveled to Jefferson City to face Carson-Newman in an
exhibition match.
The Golden Eagles battled to the finish before dropping the match
2-1, when Carson-Newman's Morgan Gruenenfelder scored her second
goal of the match with 35 seconds to play.
Sophomore Brooke Mayo scored the Golden Eagle goal, with an assist
from Ashley Smith and Michelle Decker. Katie Morrissey added two
shots on goal for Tech.
"This was definitely a great measuring stick for us," Fletcher
said. "It was great to have the chance to play against a quality
opponent."
Gruenenfelder opened the scoring with a goal just under 14 minutes
into the game, before Mayo's goal tied it 25 seconds before
halftime. The match looked like it would end in a tie, before
Gruenenfelder kicked in the game-winner with under a minute to
play.
Kaitlyn Thacker played keeper for most of the game for the Golden
Eagles, and finished with six saves. Tech finished with five total
shots, four on goal.
The Golden Eagles start the regular season Saturday at Georgia
State, and play at Winthrop on Aug. 29 and UNC Charlotte Aug. 31
before their home opener against Appalachian State on Sept. 5.
