Golden Eagles tie Middle Tennessee in final road non-conference match of season
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech soccer team found themselves in another knot Thursday evening as the Golden Eagles played Middle Tennessee to a 2-2 draw for the club’s third-consecutive tie in TTU’s final road non-conference affair of the year.
| Final | 1 | 2 | T |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
1 | 1 | 2 |
|
|
0 | 2 | 2 |
Team Stats
Middle Tennessee
| Game Statistics | Tennessee Tech | Middle Tennessee |
|---|---|---|
| Shots (on goal) | 9 (3) | 7 (5) |
| Saves | 3 | 1 |
| Fouls | 5 | 11 |
| Corner Kicks | 7 | 7 |
| Offsides | 5 | 0 |
By Dylan Vazzano, TTU Athletics Media Relations
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech soccer team found themselves in another knot Thursday evening as the Golden Eagles played Middle Tennessee to a 2-2 draw for the club's third-consecutive tie in TTU's final road non-conference affair of the year.
Tech (0-5-4), who has now picked up draws in four of the last five contests, had two separate leads in the match with Middle, but the Blue Raiders tied the tilt twice to force the deadlock. TTU's two-goal output matched a season-best after splitting the pipes twice in a 2-2 stalemate on Sept. 4 against Chattanooga.
Natalie Howard put the purple and gold on the board in the 27th minute for her second goal in the last three matches. Tori Soutuyo made the score possible after slipping a feed through traffic to a streaking Howard, who promptly took care of the rest with a drive into the bottom left corner of the net to put Tech ahead 1-0. Soutuyo's pass earned the 5-foot-7 junior her first assist of the season.
The Golden Eagles carried the lead into intermission, but Middle Tennessee (4-4-1) squared the score early in the second half on an Emma Pettersen goal in the 56th minute. Pettersen's net-finder started a string of three goals within a 15-minute period after the two clubs exchanged scores within a minute and a half later in the stanza.
Allison Lee split the pipes for the first time this season in the 69th minute, capitalizing on a corner that pushed the purple and gold to a 2-1 edge. Lucia Cuardra took the set piece that caromed off a Blue Raider and over to Cheyenne McCloud. McCloud then connected with Lee on a pass through a crowded box before Lee drilled one into the bottom left of the goal to give the Golden Eagles the lead. McCloud picked up her first career assist on the go-ahead score.
The advantage would prove to be short lived after the Blue Raiders knotted the action up with a Sadie Sterbenz goal a mere 1:27 later for the affair's final score.
Tech outshot Middle, 9-7. Howard and Anna Baker tied for the team lead with two shots apiece, while Pettersen paced the Blue Raiders with three total attempts, all of which were on-goal.
Maggie Conrad collected three saves in the stalemate. Demi Gronauer posted one stop across the way.
The Golden Eagles will be back in action on Sunday for their non-conference finale against North Alabama. Kickoff with the Lions is slated for 6 p.m. CT. The match will serve as TTU's annual Senior Day as the Golden Eagles will honor the careers of Reagan Smiley, Cheyenne McCloud, Krista Eik Hardardottir, Claire Palya, Maggie Conrad, Katie Toney, Addison Johnson, Melina Hamm and Allison Lee in a special pre-match ceremony.
Admission to Tech Soccer Field is free of charge.
Photo: Jeff Bowe, TTU Media Relations
