University of Tennessee Athletics
Sunday, August 16
Knoxville, Tenn.
2:00 p.m. ET
University of Tennessee
vs
South Alabama
PREVIEW: South Alabama Next Up for #24 Lady Vols
August 14, 2026 | Soccer
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee soccer team returns to action for their second match of the 2026 campaign on Sunday afternoon, hosting South Alabama for a 2 p.m. ET kickoff at Regal Soccer Stadium.
The match will air live on SEC Network+ with Cruz Martin (PxP) and Cameron Broome (Analyst) on the call.
Admission is free for all regular-season Tennessee soccer matches. For fans planning to attend, note that Tennessee's clear bag policy will be in effect again this season. Regal Soccer Stadium will be a cashless venue for both concessions and the VolShop this season. Complete soccer match day information can be found here.
The Lady Vols (1-0-0) opened the 2026 season on Thursday night with an emphatic 4-1 home victory over Rutgers. It marked the second consecutive season Tennessee has defeated a power conference opponent in their season opener at Regal Soccer Stadium.
DOUBLE TROUBLE: Kylee Simmons and Kai Tsakiris each scored two goals in their Tennessee debuts against Rutgers on Thursday night.
Simmons initially transferred to the Lady Vols ahead of the 2025 season from Missouri, but a season-ending knee injury in a preseason exhibition match delayed her orange and white debut to 2026. The fifth-year forward got Tennessee off the mark just nine minutes into the season-opener, converting a rebound after her first attempt was saved by the goalkeeper.
She would add a second in the second half, calmly finishing a well-worked move at the far post. The goal, which secured a 3-0 advantage for Tennessee, was assisted by Taylor Cheatham and Shae O'Rourke. Cheatham earned a goal contribution on her Tennessee debut while O'Rourke highlighted a return from injury of her own with the assist.
Tsakiris scored the other two goals in what was a 4-1 victory for the Lady Vols. The sophomore transfer from Florida doubled Tennessee's advantage midway through the first half, pouncing on a loose ball in the box from a free kick service.
The Newport Beach, Calif., native added the cherry on top for the Lady Vols, putting away an 87th minute penalty kick for the team's fourth goal of the match. It marked the third multi-goal match of Simmons' accomplished collegiate career, while Tsakiris notched her first after four single-goal matches as a freshman in 2025.
A WARM WELCOME: Eight newcomers made their Tennessee debuts in the season-opener against Rutgers. Two goals by Tsakiris and an assist by Cheatham were the highlights of the night for the talented group of debutants. Additionally, Ines Derrien provided an instant attacking spark from the midfield, recording three shots in the contest.
A LOOK AT THE JAGUARS: South Alabama opened the 2026 season on Thursday at SEC foe Mississippi State, falling 3-0 to the Bulldogs. The Jaguars recorded just four shots in the match, failing to place a shot on target.
On the other side of the field, Mississippi State peppered the Jaguar goal with 26 shots and 12 shots on target. Despite consistent pressure, South Alabama goalkeeper Mackenzie Smith had nine saves in the match and kept the score within one goal until the 79th minute.
Tennessee will be the second of four SEC opponents on the schedule for South Alabama in 2026. Contests with Alabama and Ole Miss are set for Aug. 30 and Sept. 3, respectively.
The Jaguars were a strong outfit in the Sun Belt Conference in 2025, earning the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament behind a 10-4-4 overall record and a 6-1-3 mark in the Sun Belt Conference.
BLAST FROM THE PAST: Sunday will be the second all-time meeting between Tennessee and South Alabama. The first and only prior meeting between the schools took place in 2002, a 2-1 overtime victory for the Lady Vols at Regal Soccer Stadium.
The match will air live on SEC Network+ with Cruz Martin (PxP) and Cameron Broome (Analyst) on the call.
Admission is free for all regular-season Tennessee soccer matches. For fans planning to attend, note that Tennessee's clear bag policy will be in effect again this season. Regal Soccer Stadium will be a cashless venue for both concessions and the VolShop this season. Complete soccer match day information can be found here.
The Lady Vols (1-0-0) opened the 2026 season on Thursday night with an emphatic 4-1 home victory over Rutgers. It marked the second consecutive season Tennessee has defeated a power conference opponent in their season opener at Regal Soccer Stadium.
DOUBLE TROUBLE: Kylee Simmons and Kai Tsakiris each scored two goals in their Tennessee debuts against Rutgers on Thursday night.
Simmons initially transferred to the Lady Vols ahead of the 2025 season from Missouri, but a season-ending knee injury in a preseason exhibition match delayed her orange and white debut to 2026. The fifth-year forward got Tennessee off the mark just nine minutes into the season-opener, converting a rebound after her first attempt was saved by the goalkeeper.
She would add a second in the second half, calmly finishing a well-worked move at the far post. The goal, which secured a 3-0 advantage for Tennessee, was assisted by Taylor Cheatham and Shae O'Rourke. Cheatham earned a goal contribution on her Tennessee debut while O'Rourke highlighted a return from injury of her own with the assist.
Tsakiris scored the other two goals in what was a 4-1 victory for the Lady Vols. The sophomore transfer from Florida doubled Tennessee's advantage midway through the first half, pouncing on a loose ball in the box from a free kick service.
The Newport Beach, Calif., native added the cherry on top for the Lady Vols, putting away an 87th minute penalty kick for the team's fourth goal of the match. It marked the third multi-goal match of Simmons' accomplished collegiate career, while Tsakiris notched her first after four single-goal matches as a freshman in 2025.
A WARM WELCOME: Eight newcomers made their Tennessee debuts in the season-opener against Rutgers. Two goals by Tsakiris and an assist by Cheatham were the highlights of the night for the talented group of debutants. Additionally, Ines Derrien provided an instant attacking spark from the midfield, recording three shots in the contest.
A LOOK AT THE JAGUARS: South Alabama opened the 2026 season on Thursday at SEC foe Mississippi State, falling 3-0 to the Bulldogs. The Jaguars recorded just four shots in the match, failing to place a shot on target.
On the other side of the field, Mississippi State peppered the Jaguar goal with 26 shots and 12 shots on target. Despite consistent pressure, South Alabama goalkeeper Mackenzie Smith had nine saves in the match and kept the score within one goal until the 79th minute.
Tennessee will be the second of four SEC opponents on the schedule for South Alabama in 2026. Contests with Alabama and Ole Miss are set for Aug. 30 and Sept. 3, respectively.
The Jaguars were a strong outfit in the Sun Belt Conference in 2025, earning the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament behind a 10-4-4 overall record and a 6-1-3 mark in the Sun Belt Conference.
BLAST FROM THE PAST: Sunday will be the second all-time meeting between Tennessee and South Alabama. The first and only prior meeting between the schools took place in 2002, a 2-1 overtime victory for the Lady Vols at Regal Soccer Stadium.
Players Mentioned
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