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Tennessee soccer introduced a new-look roster in Joe Kirt’s third season at the helm.
“They continue to gel together.”
Jaida Thomas (2) fights past a Lipscomb defender to chase down a loose ball at Regal Soccer Stadium. Sunday Aug. 25, 2024.
Ericksen Gomez-Villeda / The Daily Beacon
Tennessee soccer introduced a new-look roster in Joe Kirt’s third season as head coach.
Alongside 13 players who played for the Lady Vols last season, Tennessee welcomed 17 new players to its roster. It signed 10 freshmen to its 2024 class and brought in seven transfers, seeking to get beyond its second-round NCAA Tournament exit this season.
After four games, results are starting to show for the Lady Vols. In each match, this new-look team improves and comes closer together, seeking to make every performance better than the last.
“They continue to gel together,” Kirt said. “They’re working extremely hard, getting connected on the same page, sorting through things and you saw tonight we were firing on all cylinders.”
After dropping a season-opening contest to Indiana, the Lady Vols won their next three games, all against in-state opposition. On Sunday, Tennessee earned its best result of the season, beating Lipscomb 3-0.
Tennessee’s defense has conceded just one goal this season, which came in the opening match against the Hoosiers. Since then, the Lady Vols have shut down opposing offenses.
“We’ve obviously started off the year on a high note defensively,” Kirt said. “We’ve really limited teams of their chances and that’s been something we’ve talked about since the end of last year. The team has responded really well to that.”
A major piece of Tennessee’s defensive effort is Ally Brown. The junior moved into a central role in Tennessee’s defense this season and has worked alongside new players.
In Sunday’s win over Lipscomb, Brown played a team-high 79 minutes and held back any attack from the Bisons.
“She’s always had that quality but her confidence has grown every year,” Kirt said. “We’ve always seen it in her, but I’m incredibly proud of her stepping in the center of the back and coming from the line area.”
Brown has improved tremendously over the first four games, meshing with new players in Tennessee’s back line. She scored her first career goal against Lipscomb, heading in a corner kick from Michigan transfer Sarah Bridenstine.
Even with 17 new players, Brown still feels a strong connection with the players who returned from last year’s team. Those returners still make up the core of the Lady Vols.
“It’s definitely hard with a bunch of new faces but we have got a good handful of people coming back that we all work together,” Brown said. “I feel like everyone leads even if you’re a freshman.”
Freshmen have immediately stepped up for the Lady Vols. Reese Mattern has started every game for the Lady Vols, scoring her first career goal against East Tennessee State on Thursday.
Kirt has trusted Mattern with the responsibility of starting for Tennessee, and Mattern has proved her value as a member of the Lady Vols.
“She continues to gain confidence in terms of her own movements, the timing of her movements and her connection with the players around her,” Kirt said after Thursday’s win. “She’s gaining confidence in everything she’s doing, and she’s a goal scorer. So she found a way to do that tonight with getting all that pressure on goal.”
Alongside Mattern, Kate Runyon is expected to take a major step forward in her sophomore season. She scored her first goal of 2024 against the Bisons on Sunday.
In goal, Ally Zazzara takes on the responsibility of the starting role after splitting time with Abby Reisz most of last season. Her experience has proven valuable in the first four games of Tennessee’s year.
“She has been what you would expect from a redshirt junior goalkeeper,” Kirt said. “She’s in control, she’s composed and she’s able to give the information she needs to.”
“They continue to gel together.”
Previewing Tennessee soccer’s 2024 season
Jaida Thomas (2) fights past a Lipscomb defender to chase down a loose ball at Regal Soccer Stadium. Sunday Aug. 25, 2024.
Ericksen Gomez-Villeda / The Daily Beacon
Tennessee soccer introduced a new-look roster in Joe Kirt’s third season as head coach.
Alongside 13 players who played for the Lady Vols last season, Tennessee welcomed 17 new players to its roster. It signed 10 freshmen to its 2024 class and brought in seven transfers, seeking to get beyond its second-round NCAA Tournament exit this season.
After four games, results are starting to show for the Lady Vols. In each match, this new-look team improves and comes closer together, seeking to make every performance better than the last.
“They continue to gel together,” Kirt said. “They’re working extremely hard, getting connected on the same page, sorting through things and you saw tonight we were firing on all cylinders.”
After dropping a season-opening contest to Indiana, the Lady Vols won their next three games, all against in-state opposition. On Sunday, Tennessee earned its best result of the season, beating Lipscomb 3-0.
Tennessee’s defense has conceded just one goal this season, which came in the opening match against the Hoosiers. Since then, the Lady Vols have shut down opposing offenses.
“We’ve obviously started off the year on a high note defensively,” Kirt said. “We’ve really limited teams of their chances and that’s been something we’ve talked about since the end of last year. The team has responded really well to that.”
A major piece of Tennessee’s defensive effort is Ally Brown. The junior moved into a central role in Tennessee’s defense this season and has worked alongside new players.
In Sunday’s win over Lipscomb, Brown played a team-high 79 minutes and held back any attack from the Bisons.
“She’s always had that quality but her confidence has grown every year,” Kirt said. “We’ve always seen it in her, but I’m incredibly proud of her stepping in the center of the back and coming from the line area.”
Brown has improved tremendously over the first four games, meshing with new players in Tennessee’s back line. She scored her first career goal against Lipscomb, heading in a corner kick from Michigan transfer Sarah Bridenstine.
Even with 17 new players, Brown still feels a strong connection with the players who returned from last year’s team. Those returners still make up the core of the Lady Vols.
“It’s definitely hard with a bunch of new faces but we have got a good handful of people coming back that we all work together,” Brown said. “I feel like everyone leads even if you’re a freshman.”
Freshmen have immediately stepped up for the Lady Vols. Reese Mattern has started every game for the Lady Vols, scoring her first career goal against East Tennessee State on Thursday.
Kirt has trusted Mattern with the responsibility of starting for Tennessee, and Mattern has proved her value as a member of the Lady Vols.
“She continues to gain confidence in terms of her own movements, the timing of her movements and her connection with the players around her,” Kirt said after Thursday’s win. “She’s gaining confidence in everything she’s doing, and she’s a goal scorer. So she found a way to do that tonight with getting all that pressure on goal.”
Alongside Mattern, Kate Runyon is expected to take a major step forward in her sophomore season. She scored her first goal of 2024 against the Bisons on Sunday.
In goal, Ally Zazzara takes on the responsibility of the starting role after splitting time with Abby Reisz most of last season. Her experience has proven valuable in the first four games of Tennessee’s year.
“She has been what you would expect from a redshirt junior goalkeeper,” Kirt said. “She’s in control, she’s composed and she’s able to give the information she needs to.”
