Soccer team battles to the wire drops 2-1 match in final seconds

EFFERSON CITY, Tenn. -- First year Tennessee Tech soccer coach Becky Fletcher was able to evaluate her team in 11-on-11 competition for the first time Tuesday evening, as the Golden Eagles traveled to Jefferson City to face Carson-Newman in an exhibition match.

The Golden Eagles battled to the finish before dropping the match 2-1, when Carson-Newman's Morgan Gruenenfelder scored her second goal of the match with 35 seconds to play.

Sophomore Brooke Mayo scored the Golden Eagle goal, with an assist from Ashley Smith and Michelle Decker. Katie Morrissey added two shots on goal for Tech.

"This was definitely a great measuring stick for us," Fletcher said. "It was great to have the chance to play against a quality opponent."

Gruenenfelder opened the scoring with a goal just under 14 minutes into the game, before Mayo's goal tied it 25 seconds before halftime. The match looked like it would end in a tie, before Gruenenfelder kicked in the game-winner with under a minute to play.

Kaitlyn Thacker played keeper for most of the game for the Golden Eagles, and finished with six saves. Tech finished with five total shots, four on goal.

The Golden Eagles start the regular season Saturday at Georgia State, and play at Winthrop on Aug. 29 and UNC Charlotte Aug. 31 before their home opener against Appalachian State on Sept. 5.