Soccer Central: Gardner-Webb

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — After nearly a three-month layoff from competition, the Tennessee soccer team will continue its 2020-21 campaign this weekend with a Valentine's Day home matchup against Gardner-Webb. The Vols and Runnin' Bulldogs will square off Sunday at 4 p.m. at Regal Soccer Stadium.

Sunday's match will feature an online, one-camera digital broadcast on SEC Network+. Live stats will be available via SIDEARM Stats, and fans can follow @Vol_Soccer on Twitter for live match updates.

GAMEDAY REMINDERS: To align with state and local physical-distancing guidelines for public gatherings, gameday seating at Regal Soccer Stadium will be approximately 25 percent of the venue's full capacity on a first-come, first-served basis with distanced seating arrangements.

For more information on Tennessee's gameday adjustments for soccer, please visit 1tn.co/SoccerGameday.

STRANGE TIMES: When the Vols and Runnin' Bulldogs take the field on Sunday, it will be the first time in program history that UT has played a regular-season match during the spring semester. Head coach Brian Pensky has put together a seven-match non-conference slate for the Big Orange as the team looks to build its resume for one of 17 at-large bids to the NCAA Tournament in April.

Notable bouts for Tennessee this semester include home contests against defending Big East Conference champion Xavier, traditional ACC power Wake Forest and the most storied program in the history of women's college soccer, North Carolina. UT will end the 2021 campaign with back-to-back road trips to Cincinnati and Louisville.

BEASTS OF THE EAST: With a 1-0 victory over No. 9 South Carolina on November 6, Tennessee clinched an SEC East title as the Vols finished the 2020 fall campaign with a 4-1-1 record (13 points) in divisional play.

In addition to the win over the Gamecocks, the Vols knocked off No. 10 Vanderbilt (1-0 OT), Missouri (2-1) and Florida (2-1) en route to its first division title since 2005. UT's 1-1 draw at Kentucky proved to be the difference, as the Vols finished one point ahead of South Carolina in the final division standings.

RANKED VOLS: UT was ranked No. 13 overall in the United Soccer Coaches poll on November 24, marking the second time in three years that the Vols finished the fall among the nation's top-15 teams. Tennessee came in at No. 7 at the end of the 2018 season following the program's first-ever run to the NCAA Quarterfinals.

NEW FACES ON ROCKY TOP: Tennessee added five mid-year enrollees to the roster this semester. Due to NCAA eligibility rules, only two will be available for spring competition

Freshman forward Louisa Essuman joins the Vols with experience playing for the Ghanaian Youth National Team. Originally from Cape Coast, Ghana, she was a three-time high school All-American for Hotchkiss School in Connecticut and was also one the first generation of female athletes to compete for the Right To Dream soccer academy in Accra, Ghana.

The Vols have also added a goalkeeper in Kingston, Tennessee, native MacKenzie Haba. The Roane County High School standout began her college career at UT-Chattanooga last fall before transferring to Rocky Top in January. She did not compete during the fall of 2020, thus remaining eligible to play this spring for UTK.

A couple of high school seniors from UT's No. 17 ranked 2021 class have enrolled early: defender/forward Claire Rain and midfielder Briana Sayoc.

UT hit the transfer portal and added a piece to its future backline in freshman Lindsey Brick. The center back from Gaithersburg, Maryland, started eight ACC matches for Syracuse last fall, leading her team with three assists. She will be able to officially take the field for Tennessee in the fall of 2021.

SHARMA REJOINS COACHING STAFF: The Vols' coaching staff expanded in January with the addition of Hemant Sharma as a volunteer assistant coach. He previously served as a member of UT's coaching staff from 2004 to 2012 and served as the team's director of operations under current head coach Brian Pensky from 2012 to 2014.

In his previous stint with the Lady Vols, Sharma was a part of three SEC championship teams (2004, '05, '08) and three NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 appearances (2004, '05, '07). He also helped coordinate the Lady Vol soccer team's involvement in TOPSOCCER, a program for disabled athletes.

UP NEXT: The Vols will head on an eastward road trip next weekend to visit the Appalachian State Mountaineers. The match is scheduled for a noon kickoff at the Ted Mackorell Soccer Complex in Boone, North Carolina.

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

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Players Mentioned

Lindsey Brick

Louisa Essuman

MacKenzie Haba

Claire Rain

Briana Sayoc

University of Tennessee Athletics