The UTC women’s soccer team fell 8-0 to the University of Tennessee at Knoxville Sunday afternoon at Regal Stadium in Knoxville as the Lady Mocs close out a six-game road trip.
“This was the strongest team we’ve played so far,” UTC head coach J.D. Kzyer said. “Their record is like ours and not indicative of their talent. They’ve lost some very close games like we have.”
Both teams started the day with identical 2-5 marks, but it would be the Lady Vols who dominated play scoring four goals in each half.
Chattanooga falls to 2-6 overall and will open Southern Conference play Friday evening at Finley Stadium. The Lady Vols improve to 3-5 on the year.
Tennessee controlled the ball throughout much of the game outshooting Chattanooga 43-6 and had goals from five different players with three netting a pair each on the day. Lady Mocs’ keeper freshman Taylor Mangrum (Franklin, Tn.) was challenged early and often. On Tennessee’s first goal, Mangrum was able to ward off a shot from a corner kick, but the Lady Vols Kylie Bono picked up the deflection for her first of two goals on the day for what would prove to be the game winner in the 18th minute.
Tennessee was able to use the bar on the second goal after a corner kick as well as Ali Hall netted her first goal of the season at the 30:05 mark to give UTK a 2-0 lead. It would get tougher for Chattanooga when senior Kelly Downs (Hixson) was called for her second yellow card of the match resulting in a red card and an immediate ejection from the game in the 32nd minute. Chattanooga would play a man down the remainder of the match.
“We were very even at the beginning of the game,” Kyzer said. “We had given up just two goals in the first 31:17. After that we were playing without one of our best players and a man down.”
Before the half, the Lady Vols saw goals from Sanna Saarinen and Amy Harrison in just over a minute to give UTK a 4-0 lead heading into the break.
In the second half, Bono and Saarinen would each record a second goal for the Lady Vols and Emily Dowd scored her fourth and fifth goals of the year in the closing minutes to give UTK their final two goals and halt a four-game losing skid.
Chattanooga junior Donna-Kay Henry (Queens Village, N.Y.) was stifled by the Volunteer defense and was able to get off just three shots on the day with one on goal. Freshman Kerbi Towry (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) had one shot in the game while sophomore Lauren Wilson (Columbia, Tn.) sent two shots toward the net with one on goal.
Mangrum tallied 15 saves on the day while giving up seven goals in 64:29 in goal. Sophomore Sydney Dewberry (Murfreesboro) who has seen all of her action this season on the field, subbed in for Mangrum and grabbed on save while giving up one goal in the final 25:31 of the game.
“We don’t expect games like this. It’s a shock to us and we don’t like it, but we won’t let it affect us in a negative way,” Kyzer said. “We are 0-0-0 right now with conference starting later this week. This is what we’ve been talking about all year.”
The Lady Mocs return to action Friday at Finley Stadium to open Southern Conference action against UNC Greensboro at 7 p.m. Admission is free. Live stats and video will be available at the official website of Chattanooga athletics, www.GoMocs.com.
SCORING SUMMARY:
Goal Time Team Goal Scorer Assists
1 17:48 UTK Kylie Bono (1) Ali Hall; Emily Shore
2 30:05 UTK Ali Hall (1) Kylie Bono; Chelsea Hatcher
3 38:10 UTK Sanna Saarinen (1) Ashley Owens
4 39:17 UTK Amy Harrison (1) Alexis Owens
5 45:42 UTK Kylie Bono (2) Sanna Saarinen
6 64:29 UTK Sanna Saarinen (2) Molly Delk
7 76:50 UTK Emily Dowd (4) unassisted
8 80:41 UTK Emily Dowd (5) Caroline Brown