COOKEVILLE – Tennessee Tech netted a pair of second half goals to overcome a 1-0 deficit to top Jacksonville State, 2-1, in the Ohio Valley Conference opener for both clubs on Friday afternoon on the TTU campus.
The loss dropped JSU to 3-6-1 on the season, while Tech improved to 5-4-1. The Gamecocks will look to rebound from the setback on Sunday as they continue the opening weekend of OVC play in Richmond, Kentucky against the Colonels of Eastern Kentucky. Match time is set for 12 p.m. CST. The contest will be available on the OVC Digital Network.
After both teams combined for just six total shots in the opening 45 minutes, Jax State and Tech opened up the offense in the second half for a combined 18 total shots. The Gamecocks nearly mirrored their previous out last Sunday at The Citadel as they got switched on in the second half with 11 chances in the final 45 minutes to hold a plus-four advantage in the total shots category, 14-10.
All three second-half goals came within a span of seven minutes as the Gamecocks struck first with a scoring play in the 56
th minute. Freshman
Cheyenne Carden gave JSU its goal after sending the ball into the upper left corner of the net from the far right wing. Senior
Carsen Taylor was credited with the assist on the play, which was her third of the season.
The Golden Eagles equalized and posted the eventual game-winning goal in the 60
th and 63
rd minutes of the contest. The equalizing goal came directly from a corner kick as Tech's Karigan Owens' corner kick hit the crossbar and in to the back of the net.
Tech took the lead off of a free kick near midfield off the foot of Owens that was headed in to the goal by Kalyn Pruett.
JSU had multiple attempts to square the match in the final 27 minutes, including a pair of on goal attempts by junior
Kayla Thompson, who led the Gamecocks with three shots. Senior
Mackenzie Bellows had two shots that were staved off by Tech's goalkeeper, Kari Naerdemann. Naerdemann and JSU's
Caroline Robinson each collected four stops in the OVC opener.
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