Tech soccer plays Little Rock to a 1-1 draw in Sunday’s OVC opener
A Little Rock goal in the waning moments of regulation turned the tide and pushed the Tennessee Tech soccer team into a 1-1 draw in the club’s 2025 Ohio Valley Conference opener Sunday afternoon.
By Dylan Vazzano, TTU Athletics Media Relations
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – A Little Rock goal in the waning moments of regulation turned the tide and pushed the Tennessee Tech soccer team into a 1-1 draw in the club's 2025 Ohio Valley Conference opener Sunday afternoon.
With the Golden Eagles less than a minute away from victory behind a 1-0 edge, the Trojans (2-3-3, 0-0-1 OVC) flipped the script with a goal off of a corner kick that pulled the match even with only 32 seconds remaining. Candice Kilderry lined up for the corner, and despite heavy traffic in front of the net, the bid alluded everyone and snuck just inside the far post for Kilderry's third goal of the year.
The score ultimately put a lid on a dramatic afternoon of soccer that saw a three-hour lightning delay before the start of the contest as well as another 30-minute delay with just over seven minutes left in the second half.
Tech (0-6-5, 0-0-1) jumped on the board late in the first stanza on a Katie Toney goal for her first score of the season and 17th of her career to move into a four-way tie for fifth place on the program's all-time career goals list. The McMinnville, Tenn. native is now knotted with Bailey Taylor (2019-23), Andrea Meloff (2009-12) and Robin Vince (2001-02).
Toney's goal was set up on a Lucia Cuadra pass that saw Cuadra flick a ball over the top toward Toney inside the box in the 41st minute. Cuadra earned her first assist of the season on the feed.
Toney would go on to lead the Golden Eagles in shots with five, which included a try early in the second half that banged off the post. The senior forward paced all players in the contest with three shots on-fame. Maria Schuller led the match with six total shots, but was denied by Maggie Conrad midway through the second on her only try on-goal after Conrad made a leaping stop to poke the ball over the crossbar.
Conrad picked up three saves, while Peyton Urban halted six shots across the way.
The Golden Eagles attempted 14 total shots, second-highest in a match this season after taking 15 total attempts in the club's previous contest against North Alabama on Sept. 14.
Tech will now turn its attention to the first road OVC affair of the year with a Thursday night match at SIUE. Kickoff with the Cougars is set for 7 p.m. CT.
Photo: Thomas Corhern, TTU Media Relations
