New-look Tennessee soccer roster makes debut in loss to Indiana
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Tennessee soccer’s newcomers started their careers with a loss on Thursday, falling, 1-0 to Indiana.
With just 13 players returning from last season’s NCAA Tournament team, Tennessee is still trying to come together as a team.
“I think they had moments where we were really good and organized and together, and other moments where the game got stretched,” Tennessee head coach Joe Kirt said. “We’ve got some young players out there getting their first minutes in a real game and trying to stay up to the speed of it.”
Tennessee’s lack of continuity was most evident in its limited attacking opportunities. Although the Lady Vols started well offensively, they failed to trouble Indiana’s goalkeeper, only putting four shots on target.
The Lady Vols added two transfers from Michigan during the offseason, both of whom started. Sarah Bridenstine played 66 minutes in the midfield, while Sammi Woods played 70 minutes in a forward role.
Woods put one shot on goal during the match but was present throughout as an attacking threat. Her stats would have improved had the rest of the team been able to find her the ball more.
“She puts herself in good places to receive it,” Kirt said. “It’s on us to be technically good enough to find her under pressure, and we were inconsistent technically in our execution today.”
As is the case with the entire squad, Woods is still becoming acclimated to her new team. She played with Bridenstine in Ann Arbor but hasn’t played any competitive games with the rest of the Lady Vols.
Three freshmen played for Tennessee, including Reese Mattern, who started. She recorded one shot in her 66 minutes of action while also committing a foul. Kameran Bluette and Jasmine Boggs made substitute appearances.
As the season progresses, Tennessee’s newcomers will continue to gel with each other and become more acclimated to college soccer. That process will also help Tennessee avoid giving up possession easily, which was a major issue in Thursday’s loss.
“We got a game under our belt,” Kirt said. “We did some good things, competed well in moments, but we have got to be better on the ball. We have got to take care of the ball, and we did that for a half tonight.”
One positive from Tennessee was the return of Jaida Thomas. She played for the first time in a competitive game since her season-ending injury last year.
Thomas has recovered well over the course of the offseason, but game time is important to make sure her recovery continues. She played 41 minutes against the Hoosiers and fully participated in Tennessee’s system.
“She’s still getting herself back to where she’s 100%, but it’s great to see her out there,” Kirt said. “She’s got the ability to finish and is just getting back up to game speed.”
Thomas never was given good goal-scoring chances on Thursday, which is where she thrives. When teammates are unable to provide her with opportunities, she often struggles.
The Lady Vols return to Regal Soccer Stadium on Sunday for their home opener against Chattanooga. In that contest, Tennessee needs to improve in possession to avoid a second loss.
“We’ve got to continue to be us and continue to be able to execute,” Kirt said. “I think we missed chances to execute tonight. We’ve got to continue to be ourselves in our identity and take care of the ball.”
Tennessee soccer drops season opener to Indiana
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Tennessee soccer began its season with a loss on Thursday, falling 1-0 to Indiana.
After a cagey first half, Indiana (1-0-0) broke through in the 50th minute with the opening goal of the game. The Lady Vols (0-1-0) could never catch up as the Hoosiers dominated the second half.
Despite pushing players forward, Tennessee’s attack didn’t generate much. The Lady Vols registered seven shots, putting four on goal.
Here are some takeaways from the loss.
Lady Vols start season slow offensively
Tennessee got plenty of the ball in the first half but could not generate much offense. The Lady Vols finished the first 45 minutes with four shots, two of which hit the target.
Sammi Woods started her Lady Vols career with a yellow card early in the half, but she participated heavily in Tennessee’s buildup from the midfield. Kate Runyon recorded two shots in the opening half and was a key member of the attack.
In goal, Ally Zazzara saved the only shot on target she faced from the Hoosier attack.
Newcomers make debut
Tennessee welcomed 16 new players to its roster this season, only returning 13 players from last year’s NCAA Tournament team.
Four new players started for the Lady Vols in the season opener. Woods joined fellow Michigan transfer Sarah Bridenstine in the starting lineup. Former Penn State midfielder Luciana Latino also got the nod, while Reese Mattern made her college debut in Thursday’s game. Mattern put one shot on goal for the Lady Vols.
Tennessee defense falters in second half
Shortly after halftime, Indiana became more aggressive offensively. The Hoosiers put the ball into the box and Tennessee couldn’t clear, allowing Kennedy Neighbors to get a shot away. Zazzara couldn’t make the save, and Indiana took the lead.
Shortly thereafter, Indiana created another strong chance, forcing Zazzara to make her second save of the game. The Hoosiers continued to go forward throughout the second period, but the Lady Vols were able to deal with the pressure.
Jaida Thomas returns
After a season-ending injury last season, Jaida Thomas opened her season off the bench on Thursday. She made an immediate impact, winning a corner kick in her first few seconds of action.
The redshirt senior played 41 minutes for Tennessee and played in both halves. Thomas didn’t record a shot but still contributed to Tennessee’s play.