By Aidan Corley
Class is officially in session on Rocky Top. While students regretfully set that 8 a.m. alarm that’s set to go off in just five hours, or resist the temptation of an afternoon nap in place of lecture, Milwaukee’s schedule reads a little differently. Soccer 101, 7 p.m., Regal Stadium, Professor: Joe Kirt.
Following a sluggish start, Tennessee (3-0-0) taught Milwaukee (1-2-0) a lesson in a 4-0 win Thursday night. The Lady Vols outshot the Panthers 21-3, not allowing a shot on goal until the game was effectively over in a physical battle that was held in check by Tennessee all the way through.
“Started the game pretty slow aside from Taylor [Cheatham]’s goal,” Kirt said. “Made a couple changes and that group came on and changed the game. That’s what you expect from anybody coming off the bench, but they did that. Really, really good response from that group.”
The emphatic win was done in front of a record-breaking crowd in Regal Stadium, reaching nearly 5,500 Lady Vol fans. Chants were sung, cheers were loud, and their impact was felt.
“Shoutout to our fans packing the house at Regal tonight. Incredible environment from them,” Kirt said. “Hopefully they do it again Sunday night, but awesome to play in that for all of our players. Shoutout to Vol Nation for showing up, appreciate that.”
It took Tennessee just 10 minutes to open the scoring through Taylor Cheatham, who was by far the most dangerous player in the first half. Bella Smith lofted in a dangerous corner that bounced around the box before eventually falling to the feet of Cheatham who could hardly miss given how close she was to the goal.
Cheatham is direct and decisive, and those two attributes make her a threat to any defense. She has her mind made up on what she wants to do with the ball three or four passes before it finds her feet. Her quick feet cause problems; she consistently beats her defender, and it’s often finished off by a shot once she gets in the box or a cross when she gets to the touchline.
She nearly scored a terrific solo goal in the season opener and has been a headache for every defender that’s come up against her. Her first goal in a Tennessee uniform was certainly overdue.
Apart from Cheatham’s goal, it was a first half of almosts and near misses for the Lady Vols, taking a 1-0 lead into the half despite accumulating 12 shots.
Cheatham missed a chance of her own in the game’s first minute, Shae O’Rourke was denied her first goal back from injury after striking the crossbar on a penalty, and in the last minute of the first half Tennessee had a goal ruled out for offside to cap off a frustrating opening 45 minutes.
What went wrong in the first half went right in the second for Tennessee.
Kameran Bluette doubled the lead just 34 seconds into the second half. Milwaukee’s first-half energy was still in the locker room as Tennessee had business to handle. Emerson Moore played a perfectly weighted ball from midfield into Bluette’s stride who still had a lot to do when she got on the ball at the top of the box. Bluette fended off Milwaukee defenders and struck the ball with authority from the top of the box to find the bottom left corner, leaving the keeper no chance.
In the 67th minute, Kylee Simmons made what is now a trademark run down the left wing and served in a cross met in the box by Jayla Blue who turned the ball in for a 3-0 lead. It was Blue’s first career goal and Simmons’ second assist to go along with two goals in a young season.
Minutes later it was another Bella Smith corner that would wrap up the game, this time finding the head of Marlee Raymond with Raymond being the fourth Lady Vol to score their first career Tennessee goal on the night.
Smith’s delivery from dead-ball situations has posed a serious threat this season. Two goals from her corners against Milwaukee and another against South Alabama. On multiple occasions, Smith has connected with another Lady Vol on a free kick and just missed.
Any set piece around the box is now a serious scoring opportunity for Tennessee.
“She’s been working really hard at delivering balls. We’ve talked about quality service, getting into the spots we need and attacking the ball,” Kirt said. “They’re dialed in, they’re doing their job, and they’re competing.”
It’s important to test yourself in non-conference games, and Milwaukee was nothing short of that. The Panthers haven’t lost a conference game since 2022. A team that wins for fun and is used to making the NCAA tournament will make it tough for any opponent, and Tennessee was able to handle it tonight.
“They’re well coached, they play hard, they compete. We knew that coming in, you don’t win three straight conference championships if you don’t do those things,” Kirt said. “We knew that’s what we were going to get from that, a test. I think our group responded really well as the game went on and matched that.”
Spoiled For Choice
The four goalscorers tonight made it eight different goalscorers on the season for the Lady Vols. Against Rutgers it was all about Simmons and Kai Tsakiris, against South Alabama Ayva Jordan had a breakout game, against Milwaukee multiple players had their moment.
O’Rourke shouldered a heavy scoring load before getting injured last season, and Tennessee never really recovered struggling for goals the remainder of the campaign. In 2026, they have dangerous options all over the place and it could be anyone on any given night who steps in as the hero.
“Always great to get multiple people in the attack, and we’ve really focused on getting numbers forward and it shows whether it’s set pieces or in the run of play,” Kirt said. “We continue to create chances in various phases of the games, not having to rely on any one player to do it. Created a lot of chances in different ways so it’s been good.”
Knoxville’s Very Own
Nyla and Jayla Blue spent most of their life just 10 miles down the road winning state championships at Bearden High School. The Sisters now get to put on the shirt of their hometown school and continue to win games as they always have.
Nyla, a junior, after playing just 65 minutes last season, has become Tennessee’s rock at the back, already playing nearly every minute through three games this season. She has stepped seamlessly into a backline that has prided itself on keeping clean sheets, being both a physical and calming presence for the Lady Vols.
Jayla, a freshman, has impressed with the opportunities she’s been given early in her college career. Her most significant game yet came against Milwaukee scoring her first-ever collegiate goal.
“The work she’s [Nyla] put in over the past two years shows,” Kirt said. “She’s worked really, really hard. She’s been incredibly intentional on and off the field, and there’s not a lot of players that can deal with her. Certainly physically, her defending, but also her responsibility on the ball.
“Jayla’s a little different player, but equally special in terms of what she can do on the attacking side of it. They must have played a lot of 1v1 growing up, because it’s worked out for both of them.”
UP NEXT: Tennessee will conclude the opening home stretch, taking on Western Carolina, Sunday Aug. 23, at 6 p.m.