By Brandon Burke, UT Martin Sports Information
BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – The astounding depth littering the University of Tennessee at Martin soccer team continues to impress throughout the early stages of Ohio Valley Conference play, looking no further than Tuesday’s weekly unveiling of the league’s “best-of” to solidify proof of such a lofty claim. For the first time in an already-lauded 2021 campaign, two Skyhawks were plucked by the OVC to represent its Offensive and Defensive Player of the Week accolade at the same time. Rocketing the list of UTM performers to receive this distinction since August up to six, freshman Brooke Kala and graduate Kamryn Chappell seized the spotlight for a surging Skyhawk program poised for a deep postseason run based off their recent act, a 3-0 start against conference opponents.
Joining Erica Myers, Jill Hildreth, Bella Roberts, and Maria Castaldo as fellow members of the roster to earn a weekly OVC honor in 2021 alone, Kala and Chappell’s simultaneous designation caps off a brilliant week for head coach Phil McNamara’s troops off the heels of consecutive 4-1 wins over Eastern Illinois and Southeast Missouri within a four-day window. Collecting a best-possible six points towards their position at the pinnacle of the conference standings, UT Martin has barreled its way through the league thus far to the tune of a 9-2 total difference on the scoreboard since OVC action began.
Gradually working her way into a starting role at midfielder and maintaining that spot ever since, Kala’s Offensive Player of the Week nod comes after a two-goal, one-assist performance against the Panthers and Redhawks, successfully converting both of her shot tries into the back of the net during the two blowout victories. Achieving three points in Thursday’s home W over Eastern Illinois, Kala pelted in her first career strike in the 62nd minute before then reaching her first collegiate assist in the same bout, dishing a perfect lead pass to classmate Emma Elliott with 90 seconds remaining. At the close of the weekend, the freshman duplicated her own goal versus SEMO at nearly the same time in the match (at the 64:03 stamp), the second of UTM’s match-closing 3-0 run on the road. A native of Yorkville, Ill., Kala produced 146 minutes in the two victories, announcing herself as yet another scoring threat on a roster full of them.
Perhaps the most reliable member of the Skyhawks’ defensive back line if looking solely at the statistical side, Chappell garners the OVC Defensive Player of the Week prize upon never leaving the field at any point during the Thursday and Sunday wins. In fact, the fifth-year protector has become the first player this fall to hit the 1,000-minute mark through 11 matches, only resting for 10 total minutes as the team has continued to outdo itself. Limiting the other side to a mere 12 shot attempts combined as the navy and orange thrusted their winning streak to three, Chappell was again an instrumental piece in denying the opposition an avenue on a consistent basis, locking down Southeast Missouri to only two shots over the entire contest 48 hours ago. Letting just 11 goals pass in as many meetings – still the lowest number in the Ohio Valley Conference by an ever-growing margin – the Skyhawk defense tightens its grip with each passing day, largely thanks to the preventive play of Chappell and co. A product of Flushing, Mich., the graduate has now surpassed 7,000 minutes on the field over her remarkable career, appearing in 76 matches and counting.
Riding high at 1st place in the league’s current standings as the preseason 4th-place holder, UTM returns to Martin on Thursday evening for another OVC joust against Tennessee Tech. Possessing a 4-1 record when clashing on their home field, the Skyhawks will look to reach the halfway point of the conference schedule without a league loss on their resume, with first touch slated for 7:00 p.m. The event will be live-streamed courtesy of ESPN+.
Graphic Courtesy of UT Martin Sports Information