PULASKI, Tenn. — The No. 18 University of Tennessee Southern women's soccer team continued its remarkable run through Southern States Athletic Conference play Saturday afternoon, defeating Xavier (La.) 1-0 at Grissom Pitch.
The victory improved the Firehawks to 13-1-1 overall and a perfect 11-0 in SSAC play while extending their unbeaten streak to 13 matches. The win also strengthened UT Southern's hold on first place in the conference standings.
Entering the match, the Firehawks and Gold Nuggets occupied two of the top three spots in the conference standings. Following the result, UT Southern sits alone atop the SSAC standings at 11-0 in conference play, followed by William Carey at 10-1 and Xavier at 9-1-1.
The opening half featured a physical battle between two conference contenders. Both teams created chances in the opening 30 minutes, with Ashanti Lewis testing the goalkeeper early and Sam De Gier making a save to keep the match level.
UT Southern broke through in the 36th minute when Ellie Walker found Osiris Rodriguez, who finished for her sixth goal of the season. The score gave the Firehawks a 1-0 advantage heading into halftime.
The Firehawks continued to press after the break, controlling much of the second-half action. Lewis remained a constant threat in the attacking third, creating multiple opportunities while helping UT Southern generate 11 second-half shots.
Rodriguez nearly doubled the lead in the 79th minute when her shot struck the crossbar, narrowly missing her second goal of the afternoon.
UT Southern appeared poised to add an insurance goal late when the Firehawks were awarded a penalty kick in the 86th minute. The attempt was saved, keeping the match within a goal and setting up a tense finish.
Despite the missed opportunity, the Firehawk defense never allowed Xavier to generate sustained attacking momentum. UT Southern limited the Gold Nuggets to just eight shots and one shot on goal for the match.
The Firehawks finished with advantages in shots (18-8), shots on goal (6-1), and corner kicks (5-2), continuing a trend of controlling play against top conference opponents.
Lewis led UT Southern with five shots, while Rodriguez added three shots and the match-winning goal. Walker recorded the assist on the lone score of the afternoon.
Defensively, De Gier and the Firehawk back line delivered another outstanding performance, recording their third consecutive shutout. De Gier was called upon only once and made the save as UT Southern secured another clean sheet.
The victory keeps the Firehawks firmly in command of the SSAC race. With UT Southern improving to 11-0 in conference play, the Firehawks now hold a one-match advantage over William Carey and a two-point edge over Xavier in the conference standings.
Up Next
UT Southern closes the regular season with two challenging road tests as the Firehawks pursue the Southern States Athletic Conference regular-season championship.
The Firehawks travel to Dalton State on Thursday before wrapping up the regular season Saturday against No. 23 Life University in Marietta, Georgia. UT Southern enters the final week of the regular season atop the SSAC standings at 11-0 in conference play, ahead of William Carey (10-1) and Xavier (9-1-1).
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