Tennessee soccer is looking for a fresh start when it begins its NCAA tournament campaign this Friday night against Xavier University.
After a disappointing end to their SEC season, bowing out in the quarterfinals of the SEC tournament to Georgia 2-0, the Lady Vols hope to rebuild their mid-season form when the side went six games undefeated and put together a successful NCAA tournament run.
“It’s giving us a little break to get back to basics, get some players healthy after a long conference season,” Tennessee head coach Joe Kirt said. “We are obviously excited about the opportunity to host in the first round against a great opponent.”
Tennessee is ranked sixth in its tournament bracket after an 11-5-2 record. Marking the 14th NCAA tournament appearance for the Lady Vols and the 18th time Tennessee will host a home NCAA tournament game.
The Lady Vols have made it out of the first round nine times out of their 13 appearances. Only failing to do so in 2001, 2008, 2011 and 2012. Tennessee’s best performance on the National stage came in 2018 with the No. 10 Lady Vols putting together the program’s best run to that point and ultimately getting knocked out in the quarterfinals to No. 1 undefeated Stanford.
“They’re a competitive group,” Kirt said. “They hate to lose, love being around one another and enjoy each other’s company. They have some lofty aspirations. Xavier is up next for us, and they’re excited about that opportunity and to be at home in front of our fans.”
Xavier, located 10 minutes out of downtown Cincinnati, Ohio, will face the Lady Vols for the seventh time and is searching to qualify for the second round for the second time in its history.
The Musketeers lost in the Big East tournament final last Sunday against Georgetown conceding the only goal of the game just before the hour mark. Xavier was the heavy favorite in the final being ranked number two and going undefeated throughout the Big East regular season; the first time the program had ever done so.
The final berth did help the Musketeers qualify for their fifth NCAA Tournament and they will be hoping that the Big East Midfielder of the Year Molly McLaughlin plays a crucial role in Friday night’s game. The graduate student started all 19 regular season matches, leading the team with five goals and three assists.
“[They are] well-coached, organized, competitive, [they] rotate a lot of players,” Kirt said. “They have some experienced leaders – the Big-East Midfielder of the Year – and they have some young freshmen that are contributing. They’re a talented team, they’re competitive.”
In the six previous meetings, the Lady Vols have won four of those encounters including the last two. Tennessee won the last match 3-0 in February of last year on the back of a Jaida Thomas brace. The Musketeers have not beaten the Lady Vols since the turn of the century when they came to Knoxville and won 1-0.
The winner of the first-round match will play the winner of No. 3 Virginia and Fairleigh Dickinson next weekend.
Kickoff at Regal Soccer Stadium scheduled for 6:00 p.m. ET and the game can also be watched on ESPN+.
