UT Extends Unbeaten Streak to Four

Friday, September 21

Greensboro, NC

University of Tennessee

5-1-1

UNC Greensboro

3-3-1

Team	1	2	Final F
TENNESSEE	0	2	2
UNC Greensboro	0	1	1

September 21, 2007 | Soccer

Box Score

Box Score | Box Score (PDF)

GREENSBORO, N.C. ??? The University of Tennessee women???s soccer team posted a 2-1 victory over UNC Greensboro in its final non-conference match before Southeastern Conference play on Friday night at UNCG Soccer Stadium. The win improves the Lady Vols??? record to 5-1-1 on the season heading into the league schedule.

???I???m very pleased with the win tonight,??? UT Head Coach Angela Kelly said. ???I think we showed a better rhythm up top, especially in the second half. We had a better work rate and more productivity out of our forwards this game than we have all season. That???s exciting because we???ve been focusing on the defensive side of the ball and now we???re starting to get some rhythm up top. That???s great going into conference play.???

Sophomore midfielder Mick Imgram provided the eventual game winner for UT, blasting a rocket of a shot past Spartans??? keeper Katherine Ryan late in the second half. The goal is Imgram???s second of the season and brings her season points total to a team-leading six.

Tennessee would need that second goal, when UNCG freshman forward Kristin Player squeezed a shot just inside the post off a corner kick minutes later and just before the buzzer in the 90th minute. The goal was Player???s fourth of the season, which leads the Spartans.

???I have to give credit to UNCG,??? Kelly said. ???They are a very well organized team. They are very well coached. They definitely battled right down to the last whistle and that???s just a credit to them.???

After a scoreless first frame, the Lady Vols got on the board first in the second half, getting a goal from senior forward Emily Redberg in the 69th minute. Following the second of back-to-back corner kicks, UT retained possession in their own offensive end. The ball found the feet of junior midfielder Leslie Vineyard who touched the ball to junior forward Kylee Rossi on the right hand side of the box. Rossi settled the ball and put a cross in to Redberg who put the ball into the back of the net on a volley in the middle of the box.

???I didn???t do much of the work on the goal,??? Redberg said. ???Leslie sent a great ball to Kylee and she sent a perfect cross to me. All I had to was finish it in the box. I think we did a lot better offensively tonight in building the play and getting more players in the attacking end.???

The first half saw a new look for the Lady Vols, with Kelly awarding starts to senior forward Hayley Prendergast, junior midfielder Sarah Van Sickle and freshman forward Grace Cuenin. The start was the first of Cuenin???s career and the second for Prendergast.

Despite the new faces in the starting lineup, Tennessee could not find the back of the net in the scoreless first half. UT out-shot the Spartans 9-5 in the first half, but sent several shots sailing high over the crossbar. UNCG put just one shot on net, but also had a goal called off after an offsides call against freshman forward Katie Jordan.

The Orange and White took control of possession in the second half, winning nearly every first touch in the final frame. The Lady Vols out-shot the Spartans 15-5 in the second half, with seven shots on goal. UT forced Ryan to make seven total saves in the match, including four in the final 45 minutes.

Imgram led the team with eight shots, three of which were on frame. Though the Spartans ended junior goalkeeper Jaimel Johnson???s shutout streak at 457 minutes, she needed just two saves to record the 11th win of her career to gain sole possession of fourth all-time at UT. Sophomore midfielder Jen Bronson led the Spartans with three shots.

The win helps UT build momentum going into the first match of the conference season next week. With tonight???s victory, Tennessee has a four-match unbeaten streak and has allowed just one goal in the past 457 minutes of play.

???Getting a win going into SEC play is very important to give us momentum and prepare us for the conference season and the tough league teams,??? Redberg said.

The Lady Vols return home to Regal Soccer Stadium on Thursday, Sept. 27. Tennessee plays host to No. 10 South Carolina in the teams??? SEC opener. The match will be televised live on FOX Soccer Channel as the National Soccer Coaches Association of America Game of the Week. Kick off is set for 8 p.m.