No. 5/7 Tigers Fall to Tennessee, 1-0

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- The No. 5/7 Memphis women's soccer team suffered their first defeat of the 2024 season, dropping a 1-0 contest to Tennessee in Knoxville on Thursday night.

The loss broke the Tigers' (5-1) five-game winning streak to open the campaign; only six teams with perfect records remain.

"It was a tough game, physically. We conceded a goal that we usually wouldn't, but I am proud of our effort," said head coach Brooks Monaghan. "We fought hard until the end, and if this is a result that we use to clean up some things that we need to improve on then some good will come out of it."

It was a cagey start to the cross-state rivalry game with both teams struggling to maintain possession in the attacking third. Tennessee (5-1-1) nearly got on the end of a cross in the 27th minute, but the Tigers were able to shield it to safety.

The Lady Vols scored the game's only goal in the 48th minute after Sammi Woods' shot could only be parried into the path of midfielder Mac Midgley, who buried the best opportunity for either team.

The early second-half goal sprung life into the Tiger attack as they pressed for an equalizer. Both Anna Hauer and Momo Nakao hit the target with shots from dangerous positions, but goalkeeper Ally Zazzara was able to save both of them.

Memphis looked sharp in possession for most of the second half but was unable to find the incisive pass or finish to get back into the game.

The Tigers will be back at the Track and Soccer Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 15, to take on UT Martin at 7:00 pm. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.

How to follow the Tigers: For complete information on Memphis Tigers Soccer, visit www.GoTigersGo.com and follow the team's social media channels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

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Players Mentioned

Anna Hauer

Momo Nakao

University of Memphis Athletics