By Brody Rupert
It has been a season of dominance so far for the Lady Vols as they marched into Klöckner Stadium. Make no mistake, Tennessee knew coming in that this was the moment, the first real challenge of the season. Tennessee still came up short.
In a top-15 matchup against undefeated No. 12 Virginia, the No. 10 Lady Vols would finish in a 1-1 draw with their neighbors just across the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Gone were the attendance records of home crowds at Regal Soccer Stadium – Tennessee was going into enemy territory with a chorus of boos. Coming into this game, the Lady Vols had not played a game since their 4-0 victory against Western Carolina on Aug. 23, making this the team’s first time suiting up in 11 days. The Cavaliers, on the other hand, played only four days prior.
The Lady Vols got going quick: a broken corner from the Cavaliers led to a one-one-one counterattack where Taylor Cheatham was able to slide it by the goalkeeper for her second goal of the young season.
There was no sign of rust from this Lady Vols team; they were consistently forcing giveaways, breaking away from defenders, and getting shots on goal. Only minutes after scoring their first goal, Shae O’Rourke missed on a shot to the right of the post after beating the goalkeeper.
There was relentless pressure against the Cavaliers; back-to-back shots off the crossbar had them on their heels, and the Volunteers were seemingly living in their half of the pitch. Shots were flying, and Tennessee were lucky to not be down by more than a goal.
By the end of the opening half, the momentum had found its way back towards the middle, but the score stood still at 1-0 for Tennessee.
Play had shifted to a physical and heated tempo by the time the clock ran out, with penalties being called on what seemed like every possession. Multiple free kicks were awarded to the Cavaliers, but they still couldn’t find a spark of momentum, and the ball stayed in the middle of the field. Tennessee had held the home team without a shot on goal through 45-minutes.
The Cavaliers would come out of the half firing, scoring a goal in the 46th minute with a beautiful header by Addison Halpern that would be the equalizer. The sophomore’s fifth goal through five games would abolish the Volunteers’ advantage.
The momentum had seemingly turned out of the tunnel; possession was dominated by Virginia, and shots were being fired at the goalkeeper every minute.
The defensive play would persist throughout the entire game. In the 88th minute, the Vols would have an opportunity to take the lead. A great shot would be denied on a leaping attempt by the Cavaliers goalkeeper, and that was the last chance for either team to break the tie.
The score ended 1-1. A game full of aggressive defense and missed attempts from both sides of the ball ended in a stalemate.
An impressive game from both sides; Tennessee outshot Virginia 13-to-11, but missed opportunities highlighted the performance.
Bruising hot summer night
This game was one that left pain, bruises and sweat on every player on each team. The humidity and heat led to multiple instances in which trainers had to be called to help a cramping athlete, and the physicality meant bodies were constantly colliding on the pitch.
The toll of the night peaked when two players collided head-first, leaving them both on the ground for an extended period of time.
Missed opportunities all around
The Lady Vols will come away from this game feeling like they should have gotten the win, and the number of opportunities they created leaves a frustrating mark on what could have been.
In the first half, there were three major chances for the team to score and stretch their lead, but they missed all three. A free kick that went straight to the goalkeeper’s chest, a shot only a few feet away from sneaking into the corner, and two shots that went off the crossbar within ten seconds.
The second half was a little different, as both times they seemed to get free and get a shot on net, the referee ruled the play offside.
Eliminating mistakes like these and converting on their chances will be necessary if the Vols want to be competitive in the SEC this season.
UP NEXT: The Lady Vols have no time to dwell; they return to Regal Stadium Sunday for a matchup with Big 10 foe Northwestern with kickoff scheduled for 2:00 p.m. EST.