Soccer falls to 7th-ranked Lady Vols 3-1
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Sophomore Christina Burger scored late in the contest to pull the University of Arkansas Lady Razorbacks within two, but the seventh-ranked University of Tennessee Lady Vols walked away from their home turf with a 3-1 victory over the Lady Razorbacks in Knoxville, Tenn.
The loss drops Arkansas to 6-6-1 overall and 2-2-1 in Southeastern Conference play while Tennessee improves to 8-2-2 overall and 5-0-0 in the SEC.
“I am very happy with our performance today,” Arkansas head coach Gordon Henderson said. “They did all that I can ask. Tennessee is a fine side but we want to build a culture of success and this is certainly a step in the right direction.”
Down 2-0 at the half, the Lady Razorbacks failed to give up as they returned to the field for the second half. Playing some of its most inspired soccer, Arkansas continued to cause the Lady Vols fits all over the field and battled their foe. Even after falling behind 3-0 on a tremendous shot from 18-yards out, Arkansas kept battling and capitalized on crisp passing and an even better shot.
The Lady’Backs moved the ball up the field and sent a pass to Morgan McCord left of center 25 yards out. McCord quickly sent the ball to Megan McCool who caught a streaking Burger near the 18. Two touches later and Burger hit a rocket into the upper 90 for Arkansas’ lone goal giving the Lady’Backs tremendous momentum.
“It was a magnificent strike,” Henderson said. “I think that it was a great reward for a good game. We had goals coming into the game and achieved them. I am happy with the game and even though it is strange to say that in defeat, as a coach I have to look at the short term and long term goals and the players understand exactly what we are trying to do.”
Tennessee took the lead in the contest at the 18:27 mark when Genna Gorman connected on a 10-yard shot from the center of the penalty area. Taking a feed from Ali Christoph, Gorman gave Arkansas goalkeeper Carrie Dillsaver no chance to stop her shot as she put it in the far corner of the goal.
The Lady Vols second score was also a near impossibility for Dillsavar as two Tennessee players found themselves open on the far side of the penalty area. A long cross by Emily Redberg, who amazingly controlled the ball after an excellent slide tackle, went straight to Kayla Lockaby who touched in a shot from the six-yard box.
For the Lady Razorbacks Dillsaver was tremendous in goal making eight saves on 14 Tennessee shots. Not in the stats sheet though, was Dillsaver’s numerous pick offs of Tennessee crossing efforts.
The Lady Razorbacks are back in action on Sunday afternoon when they face the Georgia Bulldogs in Athens, Ga. For more information about Lady Razorback soccer or about Arkansas women’s athletics, please go to www.ladybacks.com.
