MATCH CENTRAL: #25 Tennessee at SMU
View attachment 572420
The 25th-ranked Lady Vols will look to improve to 4-0 on Sunday when they travel to SMU for an 8 p.m. ET contest.
Tennessee is riding a three-game win streak, having taken a 3-1 win over ETSU in its most recent outing. Sophomore
Kameron Simmonds netted the second brace of her career against the Bucs, while UT's third goal came as a result of an ETSU own goal. Graduate
Nayeli Diaz and redshirt-senior
Giselle Washington earned assists on the night.
Southern Methodist enters the contest with a record of 0-1, having lost to #9 TCU on Aug. 17, 1-0. The Mustangs were scheduled to play Houston Christian on Thursday, but the game was canceled due to illness within the Houston Christian team.
VS SMU: This will mark just the third meeting between SMU and UT. UT's current record stands at 0-1-1 against the Mustangs, having met most recently on Aug. 21 last season in a match that ended in a 1-1 draw in Knoxville.
SCOUTING THE MUSTANGS: SMU finished the 2022 season with an overall record of 10-4-5 and a 3-3-2 mark in AAC play. This season, the Mustangs received the third-most votes in the AAC Preseason Coaches Poll. Graduate seniors
Samantha Estrada and
Wayny Balata and sophomore
Peyton Annen were all named to the AAC Preseason Watchlist. Balata enters the year as SMU's lead returning scorer from last season with four goals.
SIMMONDS ON FIRE: With a brace against ETSU, Simmonds moved her goal count to a team-leading four on the season. She has scored those goals on eight shots, all of which have been on frame for a perfect shot-on-goal percentage.
FRESHMEN FINDING THEIR GROOVE: In the Lady Vols' first two contests, all four of UT's active freshmen recorded a goal or assist. Forwards
Kate Runyon and
Sarah Greiner each logged goals, and defender
Linette Hofmann tallied an assist in the season opener against Cal, while midfielder
Keaton Mitchell put her name on the scorecard with a goal at Lipscomb.
STOUT DEFENSE: UT's back line has conceded just two goals on the season and has limited opponents to 18 shots, only six of which have been on frame.
IN THE RANKINGS: After being unranked in the preseason poll, the Lady Vols jumped into the rankings in the Week 1 United Soccer Coaches Poll, landing at #25.
EVERYONE IS DANGEROUS: Including two goals from the exhibition contest against #7 Alabama, UT's nine goals thus far have been scored by eight different players. Freshmen
Sarah Greiner,
Kate Runyon and
Keaton Mitchell, sophomores
Kameron Simmonds (4) and
Jenna Stayart, junior
Jordan Fusco, redshirt-senior
Maria Nelson and graduate
Samantha Agresti have all found the back of the net for the Big Orange.
TRACKING THOMAS: Jaida Thomas finished the 2022 season with 13 goals to rank second in the SEC. She enters the 2023 season with a career total of 38 goals, sitting within five of tying Kylee Rossi at No. 1 all time in career goals scored at UT.
NEW FACES: Tennessee added 10 newcomers in its 2023 signing class. All 10 are versatile field players with six enrolling as freshmen and four arriving as transfers with multiple years of collegiate experience.
BACK AGAIN: The Lady Vols return five starters and 20 letterwinners from the 2022 team that clinched an SEC East Division title for the third straight season.
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Redshirt senior
Jaida Thomas, senior
Lawson Renie, juniors
Sheridan Michel and
Jordan Fusco, and sophomore
Kameron Simmonds were all named to the SEC Preseason Watch List.
UP NEXT: UT will return home to host Indiana at 6 p.m. ET on Thurs., Aug. 31.