By Mya Mimbs
As the second week of September ends, it is evident that Tennessee athletics will not be backing down any time soon — no matter what troubles they face. With soccer moving into conference play undefeated, cross country running down its competition on the course, and volleyball sustaining its first loss, there is so much to catch here on Rocky Top.
Soccer: New uniforms, same winning spirit
The No. 8 Tennessee (6-0-1) soccer team took on Northwestern, its last nonconference opponent, at Regal Soccer Stadium on Sunday. This match came after Tennessee drew for the first time this season against a top-15 Virginia team in Charlottesville.
The game against the Wildcats was also the debut of the team’s brand-new Pat Summitt Blue jerseys.
The Tennessee team secured a nail-biting 1-0 win over Northwestern, ending its opponent’s two-game clean-sheet record.
The first, and only, goal of the game came in the 11th minute from Ines Derrien, who knocked it into the bottom left side of the goal off a penalty kick.
A 30-minute weather delay at the half put a halt on any offensive momentum that the Lady Vols had, and Tennessee took only one shot on goal during the entire second half.
The game ended in a 1-0 victory for Tennessee, making this the second consecutive year the team has not lost to a nonconference opponent.
The Lady Vols opened SEC play on Friday with a road matchup against LSU. After heading into the locker room at halftime with the game tied 1-1, Tennessee pulled away in the second half, scoring two more goals and winning the game 3-1.
In its next home game at Regal Soccer Stadium, Tennessee will take on Mississippi State on Sept. 24 in its first conference matchup at home.
Volleyball: Down, but not out
The No. 17 Tennessee volleyball team (6-1) sustained its first loss of the season to the No. 2 Pittsburgh Panthers in a 3-0 sweep.
The Lady Vols traveled to Kissimmee, Florida, to compete in the Shriners Children’s Hospital Showdown at the Net, an invitation-only competition reserved for nationally ranked teams.
The game was primarily dominated by Pittsburgh, which outscored the Volunteers in kills, digs, and assists.
Tennessee had moments of a potential comeback, primarily during the second set when the Volunteers forced Pittsburgh to a deuce; however, they ultimately fell short 28-26.
Though the Volunteers lost this match, their season is just beginning, with only a few nonconference games left and SEC play on the horizon.
In its final home nonconference game, Tennessee swept Coastal Carolina 25-19, 25-19, and 25-17. The team will now hit the road for its final three games before SEC play starts on Sept. 25 with a showdown against Texas in Food City Center.
Cross Country: First of many
The Tennessee cross country team had its season opener at the Tennessee Cross Country Invitational at Cherokee Farms on Sept. 11, competing against Kentucky and Middle Tennessee.
The Lady Vols claimed the 3-mile team championship, edging the University of Kentucky out by a single point. Leading the charge was sophomore Mary Nyaboke Ogwoka, finishing in third place with a time of 15:58.7.
All members of the Lady Vols team placed within the top 25 competitors in the women’s 3-mile.
The men’s team claimed second place in the 4-mile, losing by 11 points to Middle Tennessee. Zouhair Redouane had a fourth-place finish at 19:28.6, the fastest time for the Volunteers.
All of the Volunteers finished within the top 25 competitors in the men’s 4-mile.
The next race will take place Friday, Sept. 26, at the Gans Creek Classic in Columbia, Missouri.
What else?
It’s only September, meaning there are still many games, sets, and races to come.
The volleyball team heads to Charlotte, North Carolina, to face off against Queens University on Tuesday, soccer takes on the Longhorns in Austin, Texas, on Friday for its second conference matchup, and cross country races again on Sept. 26 in Columbia, Missouri.
While it may only be September, Tennessee sports are pushing full steam ahead — no matter who, where, or what the competition is.