The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga women’s soccer team came away with an 8-0 shutout of Alabama A&M Sunday afternoon at Finley Stadium, rewriting the records books in the win.
“It was a good team performance,” Chattanooga head coach Gavin McKinney said. “We’re all about the team and we played everyone on the roster today who was healthy. At one point, eight of the 11 on the pitch were freshmen. It is an exciting time for us as a program.”
Juniors Ellie Myrick (Knoxville, Tenn.) and Peyton McCollum (Oak Ridge, Tenn.) each scored twice in the win.
Myrick got the scoring off to an early start at the 3:20 mark when McCollum drove down the right side and sent a pass to Myrick in the box on the left side to make it 1-0.
Junior McKenzie Gregg (Newport, Tenn.) picked up a deflection off Alabama A&M’s keeper who punched the ball out of the scrum on a corner kick. McKenzie made the play from the far side to make it a 2-0 math in the 18th minute.
Gregg assisted on the Mocs’ third goal. She sent a long pass that came off the keeper inside the 18 yard box and was headed in by sophomore Mallory Burman (Clarksville, Tenn.) at the 19:31 mark and Chattanooga led 3-0 at intermission.
The second half started much the way the first did with a quick goal from the Mocs at the 48:37 mark of the game. Freshman Bailey Gale (Knoxville, Tenn.) scored her first collegiate goal on McCollum’s second assist of the day to go up 4-0.
Myrick’s second goal of the game came in the 52nd minute on a pass from senior Ashley Simmons (Hixson, Tenn.) near midfield. She raced down the right side and got past Alabama A&M’s keeper for the Mocs’ fifth goal.
McCollum scored the next two for the Mocs to put UTC up 7-0. Her first was an unassisted goal on a rebound in the 59th minute. She followed that with a goal seven minutes later. Gregg sent a pass downfield to Myrick on the left side and Myrick, after a few dribbles, sent in the shot that was picked up by McCollum at the line and pushed in for the score.
Freshman Kaylin Hermanutz (Edmonton, Alberta) capped off the scoring for UTC with a goal at the 84:27 mark. Freshman Hannah Torbett (Johnson City, Tenn.) pushed a pass down the left side, picked up by Hermanutz who snared her first goal of her collegiate career.
“We’ve got a great foundation of players here,” McKinney said. “We can continue to improve and make them better because the development side of being an athlete is still there.”
Chattanooga outshot the Bulldogs 27-3 with a 16-1 shots on goal advantage. Senior Katie Emig (Knoxville, Tenn.) had one save on the only shot she faced. The Mocs had seven corner kicks on the day.
UTC’s eight goals and seven assists ties for second on the Mocs’ single-game list and its 23 points is second most for Chattanooga in a single game.
Alabama A&M’s Estelle Esperance had two shots while Andrea Chacon’s one shot was on goal. Alexandra Desgagne played all 90 minutes in goal and made eight saves.
The Mocs will travel to Murray State Friday night for its first road match of the season. The game is set to kick off at 5 p.m. in Murray, Ky. Follow the action at GoMocs.com.
SCORING SUMMARY
No. Time Team Goal Scorer Assist
1. 3:20 UTC Ellie Myrick (1) Peyton McCollum
2. 17:43 UTC McKenzie Gregg (1) (unassisted)
3. 19:31 UTC Mallory Burman (1) McKenzie Gregg
4. 48:37 UTC Bailey Gale (1) Peyton McCollum
5. 51:54 UTC Ellie Myrick (2) Ashley Simmons
6. 58:17 UTC Peyton McCollum (1) (unassisted)
7. 61:03 UTC Peyton McCollum (2) Ellie Myrick, McKenzie Gregg
8. 84:27 UTC Kaylin Hermanutz (1) Hannah Torbett