Lady Vols⚽️#23 Tennessee @ Alabama 7PM Sunday 9/22 ESPNU

#5,029
#5,029

M.A. Vignola could be first Lady Vol to play for U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team​


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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — With the United States Women’s National Soccer Team set to begin a new era, M.A. Vignola could write her name into University of Tennessee history this week by becoming the first Lady Vol to ever suit up for the team.

Vignola was officially called up by U.S. Soccer on Sept. 16 ahead of two friendly matches against South Africa.

A university spokesperson confirmed that the 25-year-old defender is the first current or former Lady Vol to ever be selected to a senior U.S. women’s national team roster. She could join an elite shortlist of fewer than 300 players who have appeared for the national team since its first international match in 1985.

Keeley Dowling, who played at Tennessee from 2001-2004, was called into two senior USWNT camps in 2007 and 2008 but was not selected to a final roster.

The Cincinnati native played at Tennessee from 2016-2019, earning All-SEC and United Coaches All-Region honors as a junior and a senior, before beginning her professional career in Iceland.

Vignola signed with Angel City FC, a Los Angeles-based club in America’s top women’s soccer league, in 2021.

She has enjoyed a breakout season this year, playing in 15 matches with 12 starts while scoring two goals from the left back position. The National Women’s Soccer League named her to their Best XI of the Month in June.

The first match kicks off on Thursday, Sept. 21 at 7:30 p.m. and will be broadcast on TNT in English and on Universo and Peacock in Spanish.

With the match taking place at TQL Stadium in Cincinnati, she could make her national team debut in her hometown. The second friendly match be held on Sunday, Sept. 24 at 5:30 p.m. It will also be broadcast on TNT in English and Universo and Peacock in Spanish.


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#5,035
#5,035
Lawton shows where to shoot the ball if you want to score from distance. Don't need a lot of power--just the proper placement, upper corners.

We are vulnerable defensively on the right with Nelson and Hofmann---not enough pace with either of them. Nelson's recovery speed, with her long, loping style, is not good, and while Hofmann has many good qualities, she's not very fast. It's any issue with Hennessey as well, not to mention Washington and others. I remain surprised that Eskin has been completely ignored, but I guess I shouldn't be. We need to play a strong second half and win this match.
 
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#5,045

Lady Vols Take 2-0 Victory Over Gators​


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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- The Lady Vols posted a shutout to extend their win streak over the Gators to seven, taking a 2-0 victory in Regal Stadium on Thursday.

Tennessee, who has not conceded a goal to Florida at home since 2017, out-shot UF 13-8 on the night. It marks the most shots Florida has allowed this season, having limited opponents to an average of 4.3 shots per game through the eight matches prior.

Graduate Sizzy Lawton netted the game-winner in the 24th minute off an assist by junior Jordan Fusco, and freshman Kate Ruyon added a second in the 62nd minute. In goal, redshirt-freshman Abby Reisz made the start, recording one save. Redshirt-sophomore Ally Zazzara took over in the second half, making three saves on the evening.

Florida was led by Maddy Pirrello and Emily Yaple who each took two shots and put one on frame. Alexa Goldberg was in the net for the Gators, logging five saves.

"We competed hard and had to deal with their pressure, but our players did a really good job at managing that," said Tennessee head coach Joe Kirt.

"There were moments we could be a little cleaner, but we got back to who we are. We didn't execute perfectly, but the intentions were good, and we scored a couple of good goals. We had a number of really good chances in the second half against a team that has been pretty good defensively, so I'm really happy with our performance on the ball and our confidence on the ball, starting from our backs all the way through our front runners."

The action stayed largely in the middle of the field through the first 20 minutes, with UT managing two shots to Florida's one until the 24-minute mark when Fusco found Lawton on the left side of the 18-yard box, and Lawton buried a left-footed shot far post.

With just under nine minutes left in the half, senior Lawson Renie worked her way through a host of Gators to the center line and played a long ball behind the UF defense to freshman Sarah Greiner, but Goldberg was able to beat her to the ball, shutting down the attack.

The Lady Vols got one more chance two minutes before the whistle when junior Nolyn Bartholomew sprinted to the baseline and played a cross for graduate Nayeli Diaz who was breaking into the box, but the keeper intercepted the pass, and the 1-0 scoreline held through halftime.

Fusco nearly added a goal to the scorecard in the 53rd minute, connecting on the end of a free kick from freshman Linette Hofmann to send a header screaming toward the side net, but Goldberg knocked it wide with the diving save.

Seven minutes later, Fusco had another opportunity, winning the ball at midfield and slicing through the Florida defense to go one on one with Goldberg who came up with a masterful save.

Runyon set the score at 2-0 in the 62nd minute, beating two players before ripping a shot from the top of the box over the keeper's head to ricochet off the crossbar and into the net.

Florida put three shots on frame in the closing minutes of the match, but Zazzara collected the saves to keep the shutout in tact.

UP NEXT: The Lady Vols will head to No. 7 South Carolina for a 7 p.m. ET matchup on Sunday that will be broadcast on ESPNU.
 
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#5,047
#5,047
“The action stayed largely in the middle of the field through the first 20 minutes, with UT managing two shots to Florida's one until the 24-minute mark when Fusco found Lawton on the left side of the 18-yard box, and Lawton buried a left-footed shot far post.”

That was beautiful. Note to Fusco, quit shooting, make more beautiful passes! 😉
 
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#5,050
#5,050
We got a desperately needed win tonight. I thought we were decent in the first half and got the great shot from Lawton to take the lead.
Outside of perhaps Simmonds, Lawton, a transfer from Penn, has been our best and most consistent player this year. She's got a nice build for soccer, good field awareness, strong soccer IQ. We were very good in the first 20/25 minutes of the 2nd half. Fusco nearly had a goal off a nice free-kick delivery by Hofmann, but the keeper made an excellent last-moment save. Fusco later had another chance but her left-footed shot was saved as well. We had another good header that the Gator keeper saved not long after that--I can't remember who had the shot. Runyon missed a chance to delivery a pass to a wide open Nelson, but then, not later, she scored with the sweet strike from distance that put the game away for us. We were quite sloppy in the last 15/20 minutes of both halves, when we had subs in---just didn't possess the ball cleanly, poor spacing and passes, just messy.

Renie's injury highlighted an issue: We are very thin at centerback. In fact, Brick, who came in for Renie, is our only centerback with CB experience--and it's worth noting that she has hardly played /at all/ in SEC matches in the three years she's been with the Vols after transferring from Syracuse. I don't think she played even a minute in the SEC portion of our schedule last year. She stepped in tonight but didn't much to do as Florida is not a good attacking team. She cleared the ball up the field a few too many times when she could have started possession, her clearances often going back to florida. Not what you want to do, really. That said, by all accounts Brick has been an excellent team member the last three years--so it's nice that she got some action. Happy for her.

We don't have a single young CB player on the squad. As I mentioned in an earlier post, Renie and both of our defensive mids will be gone next year--two vital positions that will need replacements--and the staff is going to have to hit the transfer market to find those replacements or we'll be playing two young players with no experience. You'd ideally want a couple of young players in those positions to be getting a least a few minutes experience in each game.

It looked like Renie may have cut her head--and perhaps needed stitches. If we don't have Renie against a good South Carolina team, our already slim chance of winning drops even lower. It would be huge to get a tie even--it would help our RPI a lot. We need to boost our RPI.

SEC Roundup:

Arkansas destroyed bama in Tuscaloosa tonight, 5-0. Embarrassing defeat for the tide.

Georgia seemed to have its game with LSU comfortably in hand, leading 2-0 with about 17 minutes to go in the match--and then LSU scored 3 goals to steal the win, the first coming on a PK. LSU has got some quick players up front who will give some of our slowish defenders problems. Terrible loss by georgia.

Vandy appeared to handle Ole Miss rather comfortably, 2-0.

Texas A&M got a PK goal with less than 8 minutes to play and beat Miss. State 1-0. Miss. State had the statistically edge in shots, SOG, corners, but the aggies got the win.

Auburn had a 2-0 lead on Missouri, then Missouri scored twice to equalize, then Auburn scored again to win the game, at Auburn, 3-2.
 
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