Tech tripped up by EIU in first leg of Illinois road swing
CHARLESTON, Ill. – The Tennessee Tech soccer team’s bid at a dramatic comeback came up short, as a late Golden Eagle goal was ultimately not enough in a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Eastern Illinois Thursday afternoon.
| Final | 1 | 2 | T |
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0 | 1 | 1 |
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Team Stats
Eastern Illinois
| Game Statistics | Tennessee Tech | Eastern Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Shots (on goal) | 13 (4) | 9 (4) |
| Saves | 2 | 3 |
| Fouls | 7 | 7 |
| Corner Kicks | 4 | 3 |
| Offsides | 1 | 2 |
By Dylan Vazzano, TTU Sports Information
CHARLESTON, Ill. – The Tennessee Tech soccer team's bid at a dramatic comeback came up short, as a late Golden Eagle goal was ultimately not enough in a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Eastern Illinois Thursday afternoon.
Down 2-0 in the tilt's latter stages, Tori Soutuyo found the back of the net for the first time this season to cut the deficit in half, but the purple and gold were unable to pull even in a contest that snapped Tech's five-match unbeaten streak.
Soutuyo's third-career score provided the Golden Eagles (4-8-5, 4-2-1 OVC) with a quick response after EIU's Abby Reinl split the pipes less than two minutes earlier to pad the Panther lead to 2-0. Reinl's team-leading eighth goal was made possible on an Alex Tetteh pass in the 81st minute that saw Tetteh pick up an assist on the play.
Tech's rapid response began with a Katie Toney pass to Skylar Williams from inside the box in the 83rd minute. Williams proceeded to connect with Soutuyo who promptly took care of the rest to trim the deficit in half. Williams earned her fifth assist of the year on the goal.
Eastern Illinois (5-6-5, 3-2-2 OVC) jumped on the board first thanks to an Avery Richardson goal in the 18th minute. Richardson's first score of the season saw the senior midfielder head a corner kick home for one of three EIU corner attempts in the contest. The Golden Eagles took four corners in the clash.
Richardson and Neve Renwick led the match with three shots apiece. Tech led the overall shots battle, 13-9.
Junior goalkeeper Maggie Conrad collected two saves, while Ella Kratochvil posted three stops en route to the win.
The Golden Eagles will now turn their attention to the final road match of the regular season, as Tech will travel to Western Illinois for a Sunday affair. Kickoff from Macomb is set for noon CT.
Photo by Jim Dillon
