Thomas' Golden Goal Lifts Vols To 1-0 Overtime Triumph Over No. 10 Vanderbilt

Sunday, September 27

Knoxville, TN

2:00 PM

University of Tennessee

1-1-0, 1-1-0

Vanderbilt

1-1-0, 1-1-0

Vanderbilt

Tennessee

Photo by: Andrew Ferguson/Tennessee Athletics

Thomas' Golden Goal Lifts Vols To 1-0 Overtime Triumph Over No. 10 Vanderbilt

September 27, 2020 | Soccer

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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Redshirt freshman forward Jaida Thomas scored the golden goal for Tennessee as the Vols knocked off No. 10 Vanderbilt 1-0 in overtime Sunday afternoon at Regal Soccer Stadium. The result marked Tennessee's first win over the Commodores since 2013.

"One of the things we really wanted to do today was to give a performance that we could be proud of, one that we could feel good about," head coach Brian Pensky said following the match. "To get a win and get three points, we couldn't feel any better. All the credit goes to our team, to our players."

The match-winner was scored in the 92nd minute off a corner kick service from junior midfielder Hannah Tillett. The ball bounced around the box, Mackenzie George corralled it, and Thomas finished it with her right foot into the right corner of the net to give UT the sudden death victory.

"We just had to find a way to get a poke, get a touch, get whatever you need to do to get a ball in the back of the net," Pensky said. "It's what we've talked about throughout the week, and to see that come to fruition is a pretty special feeling. I'm very happy for our kids."

It was the first career goal for Thomas, who was making her second appearance for the Big Orange after sitting out last fall due to offseason surgery.

"When I saw [Mackenzie George], I just peeled off and opened up," Thomas said postgame. "When I saw the ball, I was like 'I'm gonna go for it.' It felt like really slow motion because I couldn't believe it. Everyone just went crazy, and it was just an amazing feeling—super unbelievable. That's my first goal ever here. It was pretty cool."

CHECK THE STATS: Vanderbilt (1-1) held possession for 57 percent of the match with an 11-8 advantage in shot attempts. Four of Tennessee's eight shots on the afternoon were on target, as Thomas led the team with three shots and two on goal.

CLEAN SHEET: Sophomore goalkeeper Lindsey Romig tabbed her fourth-career solo shutout for Tennessee (1-1), playing all 92 minutes between the posts and hauling in a pair of saves for the Vols. Combined with the back line of Tara Katz, Mackenzie Ostrom, Wrenne French, Giselle Washington and Abbey Burdette, UT shut out the Commodores for the first time since a 3-0 Tennessee victory in 2013.

TOP-10 WIN: Sunday's victory over No. 10 Vanderbilt was Tennessee's 11th all-time victory over a top-10 nationally ranked opponent, and the first for the Vols since taking down No. 5 Texas A&M in College Station on Oct. 21, 2018. UT's last home win over a top-10 foe came on Sept. 25, 2011 with a 4-2 triumph over No. 6 Florida in Knoxville.

TENNESSEE DEBUTS: Tennessee freshmen Lawson Renie and Sydney Hennessey made their college soccer debuts on Sunday, logging 21 and 23 minutes respectively. Hannah Tillett, Maddie Eskin, Jaida Thomas and Giselle Washington also logged their first official minutes at Regal Stadium after making their season debuts last week at Alabama.

FOR STARTERS: Second-year Vols Claudia Dipasupil, Tara Katz and Giselle Washington each made their first appearances in the Tennessee Starting XI against Vanderbilt. The trio combined for 223 minutes played on Sunday to help the Vols secure the upset victory.

UP NEXT: Tennessee will travel to Georgia next week, as the Vols and Bulldogs square off on Friday, October 2. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m., and the match will be televised on SEC Network.

For the most up-to-date information on Tennessee soccer, follow @Vol_Soccer on Twitter.