Lady Vols Soccer ⚽️ Tennessee @ Virginia Tech 11/15 Friday 7PM Blacksburg VA ⚽️ NCAA TOURNAMENT First Round

[turbovol]

I can't believe it: We actually win a huge game with a shutout and a 1-0 score. Simmonds finally scores--off a nice assist from Midgley--and what a fantastic shot it was.

Zazzara with some big save. She's been our best shot-stopper all season--as I said weeks ago--and Kirt finally gets a decision right. Reisz has lots of potential, but Zazzara should have been our starter all year. We might have won the A&M game had she been.

Proud of the team for the effort tonight. The SEC tourney will be tough--but it can't be said enough: It's a small-margin sport: Many games are decided by a handful of plays in 90 minutes of back and forth. We've been on the short end of more than a few times this season--our own lapses and just poor play--but we've also been close to wins. And, I venture that we need two wins to get into the NCAA tourney. The A&M loss was brutal. I don't think we've beaten a top 50 RPI team all season, and that's a problem. So we will have to make it happen in the tourney.

 

[turbovol]

Haven't seen the game--just looked at the stats: Good grief: Sounds like we rather stole that win. Vandy with 17 shots and 7 SOG vs. 5 shots
and 2 SOG for the Vols. Corners: Vandy 13-3. Pretty lopsided--but we've been on the other side. It's the peculiar nature of this sport. Vandy will feel hard done, but no tears here for them.

I see that we got Chatterton back from injury--that's something. Let's hope we can get Runyon and/or Hofmann back--we need them. Price getting some good minutes at outside back. Not sure how she played, but experience always helps.

 

[turbovol]

Are we actually in the SEC tourney? Chris Henderson just wrote that if A&M and LSU tie, there will be a tiebreaker for the 10th spot.
Aren't we in the 10th spot?

Actually, to answer my own question, we seem to have ended in the 9th spot. Vandy and Ole Miss have tied for 10th and a tiebreaker will decide which advances...LSU seems to be out.

 

[kregman]

Are we actually in the SEC tourney? Chris Henderson just wrote that if A&M and LSU tie, there will be a tiebreaker for the 10th spot.
Aren't we in the 10th spot?

Actually, to answer my own question, we seem to have ended in the 9th spot. LSU and Ole Miss have tied for 10th and a tiebreaker will decide which advances...Hope it is Ole Miss but probable lsu.

Good thing is we are in the ninth spot so we are in.

 

[MAD]

There is a 3 way tie for 10th.
LSU, Vandy, Ole Miss.
Only 1 of the 3 goes through, hoping it’s not Vandy.

 

[MAD]

I’m hearing we play Sunday vs Auburn at 4:30

 

[MAD]

I’m hearing we play Sunday vs Auburn at 4:30

Yep it’s 4:30

 

[turbovol]

Great to get in the tourney. Didn't think we'd do it, if I'm honest. We play an Auburn team that I haven't seen play, that was 3-4-3 in the
conference but had some good results--notably they beat Arkansas, which I think was the hogs only conference loss, maybe. They also
only gave up 1 goal in their last four SEC matches, which was impressive. 0-0 ties with both A&M and Georgia--two good teams, then they beat LSU and lost, 0-1 to Florida. So they'll be tough.

One worry is that our starters played big minutes tonight---more than they normally play. They also did a lot of ball chasing: Vandy has always been a good possession team under Ambrose, and they dragged us around the field tonight. So we could have some fatigue on Sunday. We'll have to tough it out and win, as we did tonight, if we hope to get into the NCAA tourney. I can't see us getting in if we lose, and not sure we would if we win. A win matches us up with Arkansas. Let's do it.

I looked at the SEC standings after our match and it showed Ole Miss and Vandy tied for 10th. But that wasn't right and it turns out that LSU was the last team in, I believe.

 

[turbovol]

I just saw the play that Vandy players are complaining about. Late in the first half, Vandy has a corner and the ball goes to our far post. Zazzara doesn't do a good job of fighting through traffic to punch the ball away. I think she gets a touch on it, barely, but a Vandy player comes barreling in, plows into Michel and the post and gets her head on the ball, apparently. The ball goes down and appears to cross just over the line, inside the far post, before Zazarra grabs it--but the goal is not given--no doubt because neither the ref nor the linesman could see the ball with all the players in the line of sight. The correct call should have been a foul on the Vandy player who crashed into Michel, but there was no whistle and we played on. Whew.

 

[MAD]

Simmonds Goal Lifts Lady Vols To 1-0 Win At Vandy​

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Lady Vols took a 1-0 victory at Vanderbilt on Thursday, claiming the program's first road win against the Commodores since 2013 and ending VU's season-long home undefeated streak.

With the win, Tennessee (8-5-4, 3-4-3 SEC) improved to ninth in conference standings, securing a spot in the SEC Tournament.

Sophomore Kameron Simmonds found the net for Tennessee off an assist from sophomore Macaira Midgley. In goal, redshirt-sophomore Ally Zazzara made a career-high seven saves.

The first half was a scoreless affair with Vanderbilt (8-5-5, 3-5-2 SEC) taking seven shots, two of which were on frame. Zazzara came up with a pair of saves in the final 10 minutes to keep the game tied at zero through the half. The Lady Vols took a pair of first-half corner kicks but were unable to get off a shot.

About 10 minutes into the second half, Zazzara came up with two massive saves less than a minute apart. The first was a punch save to knock a 20-yard blast from Amber Nguyen over the crossbar. The second was a quick shot from close range by Rachel Deresky that Zazzara blocked and the Lady Vol defense cleared.

The Lady Vols went up 1-0 in the 60thminute when Midgley weaved through the Commodore midfield and found Simmonds breaking into the box. Simmonds took one touch before sending the ball near post.

Simmonds nearly added a second in the 81st minute, getting behind the Vandy defense and going one-on-one with Kate Devine who made the save.

Nguyen had the chance to level the score with just over six minutes left in the game, running on to a rebound from a corner kick and taking a crack from 20 yards out but sailing it high over the goal.

UP NEXT: The Lady Vols will head to the SEC Tournament in Pensacola, Fla. UT will enter as the No. 9 seed and face eighth-seeded Auburn at 4:30 p.m. ET on Sunday.

CAREER NIGHT: Ally Zazzara logged a career-high seven saves to earn the shutout at Vandy. Her previous best was six saves against No. 23 SMU on Aug. 21, 2022.

 

[turbovol]

The starting Vandy midfielder Nguyen was originally a commitment to the Vols, then switched to Vandy. She is solid player--now a senior--and no doubt miffed as I believe this was our 3rd straight win over the Commodores and they are out of the tourney.

Great team effort tonight--everyone played their guts out. Vandy had the two good chances early in the 2nd half that Zazzara saved, and we did give up a whopping 13 corners--which is very risky--but we survived them all and really it was a very solid defensive performance.

Kirt FINALLY discovered that, yea, Agresti is our best defensive mid--last game of the season! This is my point. She played her all but 5 minutes, and played well. Frankly, had he played Agresti 75 mins from the start of the season, and the same with Lawton, and given Diaz more minutes (which she still doesn't get), we'd probably have gotten another result or two.

Our centerbacks and outside backs were good. Hats off to Kennedy Price. The 2nd year player had hardly played at all for the Vols until about 3 games ago or so, maybe when Hofmann got a knock. And she's played outside back the last two games. She's been impressive defensively. She is not a brilliant athlete but moves well and is very sound with her positional play. She's a better defender than Hofmann but not as good in possession or going forward, but it might come with experience, though we do want and need Hofmann back. Brown,Michel and Renie were all good. Stayart is a good midfielder and played well--made the nice through pass that set up Simmonds with her second good scoring chance.

Nelson doesn't have great attacking skills or pace; as forwards go, she's pretty average--and she had a good scoring chance tonight that fluffed. But she plays hard all the time, she is a diligent defender, and deserved a lot of credit for her work rate.

Simmonds finally gets a goal in SEC play--and she could have had a second if she'd just chipped the ball over the onrushing keeper. So many goals are missed by players who don't just chip the ball the ball over keepers who come charging out low to the ground. But she played hard and well. She still holds onto the ball far too long when she is receiving passes with her back to the goal (holdup play): She tries to dribble and often loses the ball. When she quickly gets makes a pass to someone, good things tend to happen.

 

[TomHoot]

I just saw the play that Vandy players are complaining about. Late in the first half, Vandy has a corner and the ball goes to our far post. Zazzara doesn't do a good job of fighting through traffic to punch the ball away. I think she gets a touch on it, barely, but a Vandy player comes barreling in, plows into Michel and the post and gets her head on the ball, apparently. The ball goes down and appears to cross just over the line, inside the far post, before Zazarra grabs it--but the goal is not given--no doubt because neither the ref nor the linesman could see the ball with all the players in the line of sight. The correct call should have been a foul on the Vandy player who crashed into Michel, but there was no whistle and we played on. Whew.

I admit I'm no expert on rules. What I saw was the Vandy player hit and move the goal cage post a couple of inches. Then the ball went over the line (it did) at the point where the post used to be. Mightn't the goal not have been allowed because of that? That would disallow a goal in hockey.

Or the ref just missed it.

 

[TomHoot]

The starting Vandy midfielder Nguyen was originally a commitment to the Vols, then switched to Vandy. She is solid player--now a senior--and no doubt miffed as I believe this was our 3rd straight win over the Commodores and they are out of the tourney.

Great team effort tonight--everyone played their guts out. Vandy had the two good chances early in the 2nd half that Zazzara saved, and we did give up a whopping 13 corners--which is very risky--but we survived them all and really it was a very solid defensive performance.

Kirt FINALLY discovered that, yea, Agresti is our best defensive mid--last game of the season! This is my point. She played her all but 5 minutes, and played well. Frankly, had he played Agresti 75 mins from the start of the season, and the same with Lawton, and given Diaz more minutes (which she still doesn't get), we'd probably have gotten another result or two.

Our centerbacks and outside backs were good. Hats off to Kennedy Price. The 2nd year player had hardly played at all for the Vols until about 3 games ago or so, maybe when Hofmann got a knock. And she's played outside back the last two games. She's been impressive defensively. She is not a brilliant athlete but moves well and is very sound with her positional play. She's a better defender than Hofmann but not as good in possession or going forward, but it might come with experience, though we do want and need Hofmann back. Brown,Michel and Renie were all good. Stayart is a good midfielder and played well--made the nice through pass that set up Simmonds with her second good scoring chance.

Nelson doesn't have great attacking skills or pace; as forwards go, she's pretty average--and she had a good scoring chance tonight that fluffed. But she plays hard all the time, she is a diligent defender, and deserved a lot of credit for her work rate.

Simmonds finally gets a goal in SEC play--and she could have had a second if she'd just chipped the ball over the onrushing keeper. So many goals are missed by players who don't just chip the ball the ball over keepers who come charging out low to the ground. But she played hard and well. She still holds onto the ball far too long when she is receiving passes with her back to the goal (holdup play): She tries to dribble and often loses the ball. When she quickly gets makes a pass to someone, good things tend to happen.

It's good to see Maria Nelson get some credit. This season, she has been used in Mackenzie George's old position. Granted, she doesn't have George's attacking skills. But she has been controlling the ball on the right side and kicking her share of centering passes. Unfortunately, there were fewer players in front of the goal once Thomas went down. I trust this wasn't the coaches' original plan (as Nelson's stated position is defender), but happened as a result of all the injuries. Last night, she did play more minutes, and much of that was as a defender. And she threw herself in the way of everything Vanderbilt kicked her way. She played hard. Good for her. Now get some rest.

 

[MAD]

Tennessee soccer defeats Vanderbilt, advances to SEC tournament​

Tennessee soccer qualified for the SEC tournament with a 1-0 win over Vanderbilt on Thursday.

Kameron Simmonds scored the only goal of the match to send the Lady Vols (8-5-4, 3-4-3 SEC) to Pensacola for the conference tournament. Ally Zazzara was able to shut out Vanderbilt (8-5-5, 3-5-2) and made seven saves. For the first time all season, she played the full 90 minutes for the Lady Vols.

Both teams were unable to develop a substantial chance in the first 20 minutes. In the 25th minute, Vanderbilt’s Maddie Baker had an opportunity from distance but pushed the shot wide to the right. Sydney Watts recorded the first shot on goal of the game in the 35th minute, but it was safely saved by starting goalkeeper Zazzara.

In the 38th minute, a corner kick for Vanderbilt hit several bodies and found its way near the goal line. The ball was ruled short, and the match remained scoreless at the break. The Lady Vols finished the first half without recording a shot.

For the first time all season, there was no goalkeeper substitution at halftime. Zazzara remained between the posts for both halves. Maria Nelson took Tennessee’s first shot of the game in the 51st minute, but it was blocked.



Zazzara was challenged in the 56th minute by Rachel Deresky, but she was able to make the save to keep the game scoreless. Two minutes later, Simmonds put a shot wide left.

Simmonds broke through in the 60th minute off an assist from Sizzy Lawton. The goal was the first for Simmonds in conference play. Tennessee kept pushing for a second goal but did not make any progress in the next ten minutes.

Vanderbilt had two corner kicks in quick succession but was unable to take advantage. In the 81st minute, Simmonds had a chance to add to Tennessee’s advantage but could not find her way past Vanderbilt goalkeeper Kate Devine.

The Lady Vols will play Auburn in the first round of the SEC tournament on Sunday in Pensacola.

 

[MAD]

I love it that the Lady Vols made the tournament by ending Vandy’s season and taking their spot in Pensacola.

 

[turbovol]

In one of most posts after the game, I wrote that Chatterton had played for the Vols. That was dumb and wrong and the result of a mistake by a Vandy staffer who compiled the individual stats. She was listed as playing, but of course didn't as she's in recovery from her knee injury. It also listed Renie
has having played only 45 minutes, which got me worried that she got hurt, but that, thankfully, was wrong, too.

 

[MAD]

High School Soccer All-America Game rosters announced | Prep Soccer

More than 80 of the nation’s top fall high school senior players have been selected for the annual High School All-American soccer games, which will be played on Saturday, Dec. 9, at Wando High School in Mount Pleasant, S.C. Forty boys were chosen for the 13th annual boys event, while 44 girls...

prepsoccer.com

We have two incoming players make the rosters.

Congrats to Nyla Blue and Alivia Scott, both play at Bearden.

 

[MAD]

Last night was crazy to see who was making the tournament.
There was a 3 way tie for the final spot between Vandy, Ole Miss & LSU.
Even after all the matches were completed it wasn’t clear who was getting in.

The moment LSU heard they made it.

 

[MAD]

Zazzara Earns SEC Defensive Player of the Week Honors​

Redshirt-sophomore Ally Zazzara has been named SEC Defensive Player of the Week as announced by the league office on Friday.

Zazzara logged a career-high seven saves at Vanderbilt to earn the shutout and help the Lady Vols clinch a spot in the SEC Tournament with the 1-0 win. She played the full 90 minutes in net, commanding a Tennessee defense that withstood 17 shots and 13 corner kicks by the Commodores.

The Georgia native has appeared in every contest this year for UT, seeing 784 minutes of action.

She is the third Lady Vol to receive SEC weekly honors this season, joining Kate Runyon who was SEC Freshman of the Week on Sept. 25 and Kameron Simmonds who earned the title of SEC Offensive Player of the Week on Aug. 21.

Tennessee is headed to the SEC Tournament in Pensacola, Fla., where it will face Auburn in a 4:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. CT contest that will be broadcast on SEC Network.

 

[MAD]

 

[turbovol]

It's good to see Maria Nelson get some credit. This season, she has been used in Mackenzie George's old position. Granted, she doesn't have George's attacking skills. But she has been controlling the ball on the right side and kicking her share of centering passes. Unfortunately, there were fewer players in front of the goal once Thomas went down. I trust this wasn't the coaches' original plan (as Nelson's stated position is defender), but happened as a result of all the injuries. Last night, she did play more minutes, and much of that was as a defender. And she threw herself in the way of everything Vanderbilt kicked her way. She played hard. Good for her. Now get some rest.

Nelson's been our starting right forward all season--since game 1. She's a hard worker and defends well--a very responsible player. She just doesn't have the dynamic pace/athleticism that you'd ideally want in a forward. George didn't either, really--she was just an absolute bulldog and an uncanny ability to force defenders into giving up crosses and she was good at getting the ball in the box. She was never much of a shooter/scorer--which in fact is a problem. Forwards should be able to shoot and score.

Nelson does get to the end line occasionally and sends in crosses and centering passes. Her crosses are rather inconsistent--some good, some not so good. She had a good scoring chance last night to the right of the box, but fluffed it. She tried to hit it across the goal face and inside the far post--which was an ok idea, but she mishit the ball. She could have also just belted it high into the upper right corner, but didn't. She's never really shown an ability to shoot the ball, and so it was odd that Kirt picked her to take the penalty kick we got with 10 minutes to go in the Kentucky game. We could have won the game if she'd made it, but she didn't hit the ball with much pace and it was saved and the match ended in a tie.

Diaz has more speed than Nelson, seems a bit quicker as well, but Kirt just hasn't played her much. Until last night, she was only one of our wide forwards to have a goal in SEC play. I don't know why Kirt hasn't used her more. Actually, I think I do. Kirt, being a longtime assistant, has developed good relations with the players who've been in the program for three/four years--Nelson, Washington, Dipasupil last year. And I think when he became head coach he had a certain loyalty to these players, who've worked hard for years, and he wants them to play. I think that loyalty has clouded his judgment, to a degree. He's unwisely short-changed transfers who've been better than the starters he's picked. If you're not giving your better/best players the most minutes, you're not maximizing your chances of winning--to put it diplomatically. But I'm happy for Kirt---he and the team needed that victory last night. Can he be more astute going forward? Let's hope so. Perhaps as the players he's known for years leave the program, and new players come in, he can more objectively evaluate his talent.

 

[MAD]

 

[MAD]

Former Vol Cariel Ellis had 2 goals and an assist in a 4-1 win for Lamar.

 

[turbovol]

I think we can say that we shouldn't have let Ellis get away!

 

[turbovol]

I watched a bit of Auburn's last game, against Georgia, and they could be a tough nut to crack offensively. They were quite conservative
and defensively oriented. Georgia was clearly the better team, had a decided possession advantage, but when Georgia was in possession in Auburn's defensive half, Auburn was in a low block with at least 8 defenders behind the ball, which made it difficult for Georgia. Playing that low block style makes it difficult for everybody. Georgia had a decisive edge at game's end in shots, SOG and corners--but didn't score. The Auburn coach seemed quite pleased with the tie in her postgame remarks.

I figure Auburn will play similarly against us---fairly conservative and look for opportunities to counter. We tend to be a bit more open and aggressive--we did not sit back against Georgia-- and we'll have to be careful not to expose ourselves in the back. Michel, a good centerback, will come forward with the ball to set play--but it's risky when one of your centerbacks gets caught too far forward. We would want Auburn to come out and play and then look for transition opportunities---winning the ball in midfield and then pushing it straight at their goal before they get a bunch of defenders back. Let's see how both teams play it.

In the tournament we'll be back to playing overtime if the match is tied after regulation play. I think that means 2 10 minute extra periods, if necessary, first team to score wins. Golden Goal overtime. I'm not positive that it's Golden Goal overtime, but I think so. We've had the benefit of a first-round bye the last two years. There is no overstating what an advantage that is in a one-week tournament. You only have to win three matches to win the tourney. Without the bye, we and the other teams would have to win 4 matches--in a week. I'd be very curious to know if it's ever been done. I don't think so, but not positive. Playing 3 games in a week is grueling; four, nearly impossible--the players would be exhausted. Upshot: there is little chance of winning the tourney.

This is the problem with the SEC tourney--it's too big. Too many teams and too many games. Consider that the NCAA this year eliminated overtime from the regular season because it felt that the extra minutes puts too much strain on the student-athletes and risks injury. I don't necessarily agree with that rule change, but I understand the reasoning--and regular season is two games in a week, most weeks, but two or three weeks we played only one game. And yet here is the SEC with a 10-team tourney, which means some teams will be playing 3, possibly 4 games in one week--AND there could be overtime, and often is. So the format completely defeats the purpose of the no OT rule designed to mitigate against injuries. The SEC tourney should be 3 games max. The ACC only has a 6-team tournament--and the top two teams get a bye and so play at most two games! They are automatically in the tourney semifinal. Another issue with 10 teams and a lot of matches is that the field gets worn down quite a bit by the end of the tourney.

We'll see how regular-season champ Arkansas does. I believe they've been in the tourney final 6 of the last 7 years, or somseuch--and lost every one of those finals. Crazy. The lost to us two years ago. Arkansas was not in the final last year, however, when SC beat bama in the final to win it by the classic good defensive team score, 1-0. We have to play Arkansas if we beat Auburn. I have to think we must win this first game to get in the NCAA tourney. I do't know what the experts have projected for us now--I stopped following it when we were losing late-season games. We have a losing conference record--3-4-3: That usually translates to bubble team. I'm afraid to check our status, frankly! We need to win.