No. 8 Tennessee soccer began Southeastern Conference play at LSU Friday night. The Lady Vols remained unbeaten with goals from Shae O’Rourke, Taylor Cheatham and Ines Derrien on the night. Tennessee took the win 3-1.
In the 11th minute, O’Rourke put Tennessee up 1-0 off an assist from Derrien. Before then, the ball changed sides fluidly, with neither team controlling possession.
Cora Fry and Tesia Mikuta played solid defense early to keep LSU from a position advantage in pursuit of a shot. Tennessee kept pressure on LSU to prevent it from building its offense comfortably. For the better part of the first half, it played them a bit high.
As for LSU, its defense kept things where they were until it was able to answer in the 39th minute. Emma Alvord sent a cross from just beyond mid-pitch. LSU’s Ava Galligan got a piece of it, and the Lady Vols failed to clear it. That is when Senai Rogers punched it in to tie the match at one apiece. Cayden Daniels was not in position to contest the shot, making it even easier for Rogers.
Tennessee kept possession strong to start the second half. The Lady Vols forced three corners within the first eight minutes, but LSU prevented any scoring. Finally, on the fourth corner of the half and 55th minute of the match, Cheatham finished with a header off a Dakota Brown assist to put the Lady Vols back on top, 2-1.
The Lady Vols continued to control the ball much better in the second half. Then, in the 72nd minute, LSU’s Linka Ono was called for a foul as Derrien controlled the ball in the box. That allowed Derrien to attempt a penalty kick, and she capitalized to increase Tennessee’s lead to 3-1.
Tennessee more than doubled its shots to 10, after four in the first half. It also held LSU to only three second-half shots, after it took four in the first half. Also, the Lady Vols finished the night with six corners to LSU’s two. In the previous two matches, the Lady Vols didn’t quite finish the final half with the same mojo, but Friday night was much different.
Next, the Lady Vols will face the Texas Longhorns Friday, Sept. 18 at 8 p.m. EDT in Austin, Texas. That match will stream on SEC Network+.
