Eatz's long-range strike salvages road draw at OVC favorite
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. (August 31, 2023) - Both teams dug in. Both teams played organized, intense defense. Both teams felt the sting when their opponent got space in the attacking third.
ETSU played Tennessee Tech to a 1-1 draw Thursday night at Tech Soccer Field in Cookeville. A sinking, curling gem of a left-footed shot by sophomore Grace Eatz (Roswell, Ga.) snuck inside the left post to put the Bucs level in the 53rd minute, but a resurgent attack in the final 35 minutes could not produce a decisive goal for the visiting Buccaneers against the OVC preseason favorite Golden Eagles.
After an uneventful opening stretch, the Golden Eagles (0-2-2) broke the seal on the game in the 41st minute. A miscue in the ETSU (2-1-2) defense opened the door for a sliding Taylor Clark to get a cross to the center of the box for Tori Soutuyo's first goal and Tennessee Tech's first lead of the season.
The Bucs found an answer in the 53rd minute on a chance that looked like nothing special until Eatz put it in the back of the net. A header by center back Madi Hook (Fareham, England) streaking up across the midfield stripe bounced into space for Eatz to run onto 30 yards from goal. She took one touch to settle and fired a curling half-volley from 25 yards that bent away from goalkeeper Maggie Conrad just inside the left post for her first goal of the year and third of her career.
ETSU played the aggressor for the remainder of the match.
Kyra Ranvek (Knoxville, Tenn.) missed high in the scramble after a corner at the hour mark, and Reagan Fitzgerald (Oviedo, Fla.) forced a save out of Conrad just inside the box in the 67th minute. Ava Matherne (Gulf Breeze, Fla.) tested Conrad again in the 75th minute, and Aliya Cooper (Chattanooga, Tenn.) threatened just wide right of goal moments later in the last good chance for the Bucs.
The Buccaneers outshot the Golden Eagles 12-8 and had three shots on goal to two. Fitzgerald led the Bucs with three shots including one on goal, and Matherne had two shots with one on goal. ETSU split the game in half in goal, with Ashton Blair (Knoxville, Tenn.) playing the first half and Rhyan Connolly (Canton, Ga.) playing the second half.
ETSU gets 10 days off before they return to the field against Winthrop at Summers-Taylor Stadium in search of their first win over the Eagles since 2016. Game time is set for 2 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 10.
For more information on ETSU women's soccer, visit ETSUBucs.com and click on the women's soccer tab.
