University of Tennessee Athletics
University of Tennessee
1-0-2
Liberty
0-2-1
UT Plays To Scoreless Draw At Liberty
August 28, 2015 | Soccer
LYNCHBURG, Va. -- Liberty was quick out of the gate with a shot seconds into the match and Tennessee had several chances late in regulation and both overtime periods as the Vols and Lady Flames played to a scoreless draw on Friday at Osborne Stadium.
The Vols (1-0-2) finished with an 18-17 shot advantage after Liberty (0-2-1) outshot them, 9-6, in the first half.
Friday's scoreless draw marked the first time in Tennessee's 20-year history that the team has opened the season with three shutouts.
Tennessee redshirt senior goalkeeper Julie Eckel (1-0-2) and Liberty's Holly Van Noord (0-2-1) made eight saves each. Eckel yet to allow a goal this season (310 minutes).
Anna Bialczak led UT with six shots and four shots on goal. Amy Neal had five shots and two on goal.
Tennessee had two great looks in the second overtime period. In the 102nd minute, Neal weaved through defenders to fire from outside the 18, only to be turned away by Van Noord with a dive near the right post. Bialczak broke loose down the left side in the 108th and fired a rocket shot near the box, but Van Noord was there to make the stop.
In the 92nd minute, Bialczak beat a LU defender for a ball in the left side of the box, firing a shot on goal to the middle.
Regulation ended in thrilling fashion. In 89th minute, Neal broke loose to reach a ball played back to the Liberty box with Van Noord deflecting the ball as soon as it left Neal's foot. Van Noord made a diving save on a header by Neal seconds later after a UT corner kick.
In the 87th minute, Madison Kauzlarich fired from about 25 yards out and Eckel made a leaping grab near the left top shelf.
Tennessee was aggressive coming out of halftime. In the 59th minute, Danielle Marcano, who had three shots in the game, ripped a shot from the 18 to the left upper 90 and Van Noord made a leaping save to prevent the goal.
While the Lady Flames outshot the Vols in the first half, UT had three corner kicks to Liberty's two before the break.
Eckel made four saves in the first half, including a stop 42 seconds into the game. Liberty wasted no time with a quick run from kickoff in the first minute and Eckel stopping a shot from Baylee Gillmore near the right post. UT's redshirt senior keeper made a great fingertip save in the 21st minute to turn away a shot by Crystal Elmers near the right post.
Tennessee next heads to Blacksburg, Va., to play Virginia Tech on Sunday at 5 p.m. ET. That game will feature an ESPN3 online broadcast.
