A weather delay that lasted nearly over two hours did not stop the Tennessee soccer team from getting its first regular season win Friday night during its first of two road games this weekend.
In thunderstorms and rainy conditions, a solo shot by redshirt senior Ariel Kupritz gave Tennessee the lead and goal to win at Glenn Warner Soccer Facility, topping Navy 1-0.
After reentering the game at the 56-minute mark, Kupritz took control of the lost ball, wove through multiple defenders and moments later scored the only goal for the Vols.
Wet conditions were encountered due to rainy and stormy weather throughout most of the game, but head coach Brian Pensky’s team proved to defeat the odds and continue and build upon a preseason goal of being a better possession-style team. His roster proved to do just that, outshooting Navy 20-3 and having control of the ball for the majority of the competition.
Redshirt freshman Erin Gilroy led the Vols in shots, recording four before the game was over. While attempting two headers during the game, Gilroy’s shots just barely missed the goal in both attempts to stretch out the Tennessee lead.
Navy’s defense did bring high levels of effort to the game Friday night, though, as goalkeeper Sydney Fortson was credited with seven saves, as well as some breakups on crosses. Four of her seven saves came in the first half of play alone.
In the opening 25 minutes of the match, Fortson intercepted a cross in her line, followed by her teammate Liza Harris deflecting a potentially dangerous one-timer shot by sliding on the rain soaked turf.
As Navy was trying to answer back after Tennessee’s goal with a 4-on-4 fast break, the play was defeated, but the Vols were still held on the defensive side of the ball. At the near 67-minute mark, a low line-drive free kick shot from 30 yards look to tie the match, but Tennessee goalkeeper Shae Yanez blocked the shot attempt.
Yanez, a sophomore from Downington, Pennsylvania, recorded her fourth career solo shutout last night, with her previous three coming last season.
Tennessee will wrap up this week’s slate with a match at George Mason University on Sunday, with play starting at 2 p.m. in Fairfax, Virginia, at George Mason Stadium.
