The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga women’s soccer team dropped at East Tennessee State Friday night at Summers-Taylor Stadium. It was the Southern Conference opener for both teams.
The Mocs are 2-6-2 on the year and 0-1 in league play while the Bucs improve to 3-6 overall and 1-0 against the SoCon.
“Cruel game,” Chattanooga head coach Gavin McKinney summed up. “We played some very nice stuff and created quality chances. We feel a bit unlucky with the result but we must continue to push forward.
Great performances and results are on the way for this group.”
The Mocs had a chance early for a goal off the foot of the Mocs’ top scorer Jordan Mueller. Her attempt at the 1:37 mark of the match was stopped by ETSU keeper Lea Ann Cutshall.
The Bucs, however, would have better luck at the other end of the field. Meagan Sours, assisted by Eleonora Goldoni, connected on her second goal of the year in the third minute to put ETSU up 1-0.
The Mocs didn’t allow another goal the remainder of the half and went into intermission trailing 1-0.
In the second half, Mueller’s potential game-tying shot in the 51st minute was stopped again by Cutshall and Chloe Arnold’s header off a corner sailed wide a few minutes later.
In the 55th minute, ETSU went up 2-0 on an unassisted shot by Raffaella Giuliano from 30 yards out into the upper left corner.
Chattanooga’s third shot on goal came in the 60th minute off the foot of Lauren Dluzewski, but again, stopped by Cutshall who had three saves on the night.
Arnold’s shot in the 71st minute hit off the post, keeping Chattanooga out of the net.
The Bucs got its third goal of the match from the team’s leading scorer Goldoni who scored her seventh goal of the season at the 79:37 mark of the match. Emily McKerlie took a free kick for the Bucs and Goldoni got the ball at 15 yards out and found the back of the net to make it 3-0.
Arnold and Mueller each had a game-high six shots with Mueller getting two on goal. The Mocs outshot ETSU 18-13 and sophomore keeper Melia Correa (Clarksville, Tenn.) had five saves.
Goldoni led ETSU with four shots, three on goal. She had one goal and one assist.
The Mocs remain on the road to take on Western Carolina Sunday afternoon in a 2 p.m. matchup. Links will be available for live stats and streaming video on the SoCon Digital Network at GoMocs.com.
SCORING SUMMARY:
GOAL Time Team Goal Scorer Assists
1 2:26 ETSU Meagan Sours (2) Eleonora Goldoni
2 54:07 ETSU Raffaella Giuliano (1) (unassisted)
3 79:37 ETSU Eleonora Goldoni (7) Emily McKerlie