By Brandon Burke UT Martin Sports Information
MARTIN, Tenn. – Another familiar theme arose for the University of Tennessee at Martin soccer team during Sunday afternoon’s showdown against Ohio Valley Conference rival Murray State, as the widely-gasconaded Skyhawk defense showcased precisely why it’s gathered that reputation, holding the highest-scoring group in the league to a zero-goal output over the final 55 minutes of play on their way to a 2-1 triumph.
Entering the weekend locked in a tie for the top spot in the conference standings and ending it with sole possession of that 1st place slot, UTM snapped a three-match losing skid to the Racers thanks to a pair of first-half scores from underclassmen Emely van der Vliet and Emma Elliott, limiting a Murray State team that had accumulated 176 shots on the year to single digits in that category today.
The Skyhawks’ senior Hildreth sisters – Jill and Jaden – each registered an assist to help the home squad outlast the Racers in a furiously-paced opening frame, before then letting their defense do the talking from there. In a statistic that continues to gain a wider gap between the other eight schools in the OVC, UT Martin’s 14 goals allowed in as many appearances have been the most determining factor towards the team’s improved record of 9-4-1 next to a 5-1 mark against league representatives.
Minus the only slip-up in conference play versus Tennessee Tech and a road trip to SEC powerhouse Arkansas earlier in the semester, head coach Phil McNamara’s club has not been scored on more than once in a single outing, collecting three more points to their OVC resume for a grand total of 15 with two dates left until postseason activity.
As has been the case in the majority of the Skyhawks’ victories on their own turf, most of the damage was dealt in the first 45 minutes, with the first score of the contest gently tapped in by van der Vliet two-thirds of the way through the opening period. Jill Hildreth and the reigning freshman of the year in the conference found themselves in a two-on-one advantage sprinting with MSU keeper Jenna Villacres, resulting in easy pickings once the goalie gambled. Hildreth hoisted her team-best point total up to 15 with the dish on the game’s first strike, while van der Vliet secured her fifth score of 2021 and 12th of her UTM tenure.
It only took Murray State a little over four minutes to even the odds and brings things back to square one, as Riley Johnson capitalized on a deflected pass deep inside the box to knot up the rivalry match at one goal apiece. The navy and orange responded in a timely manner, however, dealing the Racers a taste of their own medicine with a quick strike at the 40:03 stamp from Jaden Hildreth to Elliott in what turned out to be the game-winner.
The one-goal difference in the final box score could have been a greater disparity had the Skyhawks avoided just missing out on a handful of opportunities at various points in the second stanza, namely a pair of up-close shots that sailed too high and an offside whistle that cost UTM their third goal of the day. Nonetheless, that vexatious back line that has left many opponents scratching their heads all season came through in the clutch again, obstructing MSU at nearly every opportunity to try and tie the match once more.
Kamryn Chappell, Parker Gelinas, Maria Castaldo, and Catey Hunt – the quartet that has started all 14 matches for Coach McNamara since August representing the defensive positions – was as solid as ever going head-to-head with a balanced and aggressive offense, downing Murray State for just the fifth time in Martin dating back to the 2000 campaign.
None of the Racers’ seven corner kick opportunities translated to a score thanks to the Skyhawks’ superlative preventive efforts on Sunday, as graduate GK Erica Myers only needed a single save to pick up her 39th career victory in the net. In total, UTM has outgained the other side by a combined margin of 25-14 this fall, including a 17-7 difference when competing on their own field.
By virtue of Belmont’s 1-0 defeat at the hands of Eastern Illinois and Tennessee Tech’s open schedule this weekend, the Skyhawks now hold sole possession of the top placement in the Ohio Valley Conference standings with one week left on the schedule. Coincidentally, UT Martin will do battle the Bruins in their next venture on Thursday, representing Senior Night for Myers, Chappell, Hendrikje Baurmann, and Skylar Boes. First touch is slated for approximately 7:00 p.m.
Having won three out of the past four meetings against Belmont in an almost dead-even series dating back to 1998, a victory on Thursday would mean a fifth OVC Regular Season Championship for the Skyhawks, gaining at least a share of that title with a tie.
Now that the Racers have been disposed of, UTM can claim wins over all three schools picked above them in the preseason conference projections, preparing for the opportunity to potentially clinch their second league crown in the past four seasons by hosting the Bruins and then traveling to Morehead State 72 hours after that.
UT Martin’s Senior Night festivities can be viewed live on Thursday courtesy of ESPN+.
Graphic Courtesy of UT Martin Sports Information