MATCH CENTRAL: #6 UT vs. Lipscomb (NCAA First Round)

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- No. 6 UT will open the NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Championship at home, hosting Lipscomb on Friday in a 5 p.m. ET match streamed on SECN+.

The Vols, a No. 3 seed, enter NCAA Tournament fresh off an SEC Tournament Championship and with an 18-2-0 record overall, having already tied the program record for single-season wins. Tennessee has been ranked in the top 25 of the United Soccer Coaches poll for 11 of 12 weeks this season and currently sits at No. 8 in the RPI.

Lipscomb (15-4-1) enters the tournament as the ASUN's automatic qualifier, posting a 1-0 win over Kennesaw State in the conference championship. LU has won the ASUN Championship in three of the last four years.

The Vols and the Bisons have only met one time previously. That 2015 match ended in a 0-0 tie after two overtimes.

UP NEXT: The winner advances to the NCAA Second and Third Rounds to be held Nov. 19 and 21.

TICKETS: First-round tickets are on sale through AllVols.com or by calling the Athletic Ticket Office during regular business hours (Monday – Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.) at 865-656-1200. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children, students, and senior citizens. Group tickets (10 or more) are also available for $5 each by contacting the Ticket Office.

The first 100 UT students will receive free entry with a valid student ID.

TENNESSEE'S NCAA HISTORY: Tennessee will be making its 13^th overall NCAA Tournament appearance since 2001. UT has a 14-10-3 record in the tournament and has reached the Sweet 16 six times (2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2018). Danielle Marcano is Tennessee's all-time points leader in the NCAA championships, tallying 4 points on seven goals in her career (2015-2018).

HOSTING HISTORY: UT has hosted 16 NCAA tournament games, and the Vols are 13-2-1 in Knoxville early-round NCAA games.

TOURNAMENT-TIME THOMAS: Redshirt-sophomore Jaida Thomas scored two goals in the SEC quarterfinals and semifinal games, becoming the only Tennessee player to ever post two braces in SEC Tournament play in a career. There have only been five other occasions when a UT player scored two goals in an SEC Tournament game. She added a fifth in the SEC Championship match, bringing her season total to 13 goals.

SIXTH-RANKED NO. 3 SEED HISTORY- Under the current NCAA Tournament format, only four teams have been a sixth-ranked No. 3 seed - Tennessee (2021), UCLA (2012), Oklahoma St. (2010), and Cal (2005). Of those, UT enters the tournament with the best overall record at 18-2-0.

PROTECTING THE NET: The Vols have recorded 11 shutouts this season, the most since 2018 when they managed a program-best-tying 12. Through 20 games, the back line has limited opponents to a combined 14 goals and 4.35 shots on goal per game. UT has not given up a goal to a non-conference opponent this season.

CRUNCH TIME HUFF: All eight of freshman Taylor Huff's goals have come in the second half, and half of those have been in the 85th minute or later.

THOMAS ALWAYS DANGEROUS: Jaida Thomas' 13 goals have been spread evenly throughout matches with six coming in the first half and seven in the second. Her fastest goal was just 1:39 into the game against FGCU, and she has twice scored in the 89th-minute (Florida and Georgia).

DYNAMIC DUO: Mackenzie George and Jaida Thomas are hitting their stride, having combined for 11 goals over the last six games.

SQUAD GOALS: Over three games in the SEC Tournament, Tennessee out-shot opponents 57-39, put 25 shots on goal while holding opponents to 13, and managed a 30-13 advantage in corner kicks.