EVANSVILLE, Ind.- The No. 8 seed University of Tennessee at Martin soccer team battled the full 90 minutes but came up short 1-0 against the No. 5 seed Morehead State in the first round of the Ohio Valley Conference Soccer Championships at Strassweg Field. The Skyhawks close out the 2024 season with a 4-11-3 record.
Izzy Patterson (three shots on goal) and Brooke Kala (two shots on goal) led UT Martin in shot attempts with five apiece. Makayla Robinson (two shots, one on goal), Nyeemah Prescod-Beckles (two shots, one on goal), Peyton Cook (one shot on goal) and Alberte Amby (one shot) made up the rest of the Skyhawk offense.
Despite an early goal from the Eagles, Skyhawk goalkeeper Mac Titus was able to make seven consecutive saves with several acrobatic stops. Titus played the full match along with Abbie McHenry, Parker Gelinas, Shayla Addington, Ella Rucka, Kala, Robinson and Patterson.
Just three minutes into the match, Morehead State’s Hedda Ornberg found the back of the net on the first shot of the contest. Patterson would try her luck with a shot on goal in the 11th minute, but the Eagles denied the attempt.
In the 13th minute, Ornberg had a shot at an open net, yet Rucka swooped in to clear the ball off the goal line and keep the score at 1-0. Titus made saves in the 19th, 26th and 29th minute to keep the Skyhawks down one.
UT Martin built up two opportunities in the 33rd and 44th minute, but Morehead State stood tall once again to keep the score 1-0 heading into halftime. Patterson found two chances in consecutive fashion during the 63rd and 64th minute that would end up being quality saves by the Eagles.
Titus kept the back of the net clean after a brief Morehead State attack in the 78th and 81st minute to give her team momentum for one final push. The Skyhawks had one last shot attempt sail wide in the 85th minute, allowing the Eagles to hang on and punch their ticket to the quarterfinal round.
