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Ally Zazzara earns 100th career save in draw against Vanderbilt
Ally Zazzara (32) aiding her team by calling out plays against Vanderbilt at Regal Soccer Stadium. Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024
Bailey Beller/Contributor
With 30 seconds left, Tennessee soccer needed one more save.
Vanderbilt won a free kick on the edge of the penalty area, and with the match tied 1-1, Ally Zazzara needed one last play to give Tennessee a draw and another point in the SEC standings.
With the free kick going toward the top corner, Zazzara got a glove to it, pushing it over the crossbar. With her 100th save, she saved Tennessee’s point against Vanderbilt.
For the past two seasons, Zazzara has consistently made saves when her team needed them. After taking over the starting job during last season, Zazzara continued to excel.
“It’s unreal,” Tennessee midfielder Mac Midgley said. “I think it’s really nice knowing you have such a consistent goalkeeper who is the anchor of the team.”
This season, Zazzara sports an .833 save percentage and has allowed just five goals in the first 10 games of Tennessee’s season. She has not been on the losing end of a match since Tennessee’s opener against Indiana where she allowed just one goal.
On the other side of the pitch, Tennessee’s offense could only muster limited opportunities and one goal. Zazzara’s play at the other end was why Tennessee didn’t end its nine match unbeaten run.
“She kept us in the game and allowed us to salvage a point out of not a great day from our team,” Tennessee head coach Joe Kirt said. “Their resilience and perseverance shone through.”
When Tennessee is attacking and trying to find Zazzara an equalizer, she has no influence on the play. She stands 50 yards back or more hoping her hard work pays off with a result.
While she’s back there, she’s the attack’s biggest supporter. On Sunday, Midgley earned that support with her late equalizer.
“I sit back there just hoping and praying because there’s only so much I can do in that half of the field,” Zazzara said. “So I sit there cheering them on.”
Winning the matchup of goalkeepers
Eleven minutes in, Tennessee’s defense conceded a penalty. Vanderbilt goalkeeper Kate Devine came from the other side of the pitch to take it, putting more pressure on Zazzara.
“No goalkeeper likes to be scored on,” Zazzara said. “It’s hard to save another goalkeeper’s PK because you know that they know what you’re thinking.”
In the head-to-head matchup between the two goalkeepers, Devine aimed to Zazzara’s right. The redshirt junior followed it all the way, making the save and keeping the game tied.
Although it’s still just a penalty kick, having pride over the other goalkeeper still matters. With the save, Zazzara won that mental battle.
“It does make it a little bit more of a one versus one mentality,” Kirt said. “Me against you. She did a great job and made a great save, one of many tonight.”
In any situation, Tennessee expects Zazzara to make a save. She earned that trust from the rest of the team and reciprocates that trust, putting in standout performances on a repeated basis.
Last season, that standout performance came in the NCAA Tournament against Xavier. Zazzara made 15 saves in 110 minutes of play, earning a shutout and helping the Lady Vols advance to the second round.
To get a draw against Vanderbilt, she needed to make 11 saves. She did just that.
“When a PK comes, you know she’s going to save it,” Midgley said. “When shots are fired, you know she’s going to save them. That makes you a lot more comfortable in trusting her and organizing from the back up.”