UPLAND, Ind. – The TU women’s soccer team extended its program-record with a fifth-consecutive shutout victory to start the 2021 season. Senior, Erin Teevans, earned a hat trick as the Trojans marched to a 7-0 win against IU-Kokomo (0-4-1).
The Trojans put on an offensive clinic throughout the match, peppering the Cougars’ net from beginning to end. TU took 16 shots in the first half, six of which landed on frame and three of which struck the back of the net.
Linli Tu began the scoring parade just under 12 minutes into the match with her second goal of the season. The standout senior split two Cougar defenders before striking a one-hop shot past the goalie. Six minutes later, Teevans kicked off her career-night.
After Riley Massey fired a foul-kick cross-field, her sister, Claire Massey, set Teevans up beautifully for her first goal of the night. The younger Massey sister threaded the needle with her pass up-field to Teevans, who, then, beat one defender before putting the Trojans up 2-0. Teevans’s first goal of the night earned Claire Massey her third assist for the season.
While up 2-0, Teevans continued the charge with her second goal of the night, this time unassisted. After receiving a touch from teammate, Sophie Snyder, the Barlett, Illinois, native navigated through three Cougar defenders before hammering a goal into the net’s top shelf. The Trojans went into half up 3-0, but they were just getting started.
Right out of the half, TU tacked another goal on the board. This time, senior, Kate Kortenhoeven, was the one to do the damage. Tu sent Kortenhoeven racing up the left side with a 45-yard pass, which Kortenhoeven promptly placed in the goal via her left foot. The Wheaton Academy graduate’s first goal of the 2021 campaign gave Tu her first assist on the season.
Now up 4-0, after having been fouled in the box Tu benefited from her first penalty shot attempt on the year. Although the Cougar goalie guessed right, Tu’s strike passed her outstretched arms, earning the Trojan senior her second goal of the night and giving her a total of five points.
And yet, the scoring parade went on. Sophie Snyder ripped a great shot on goal, which was deflected by the Cougar goalie only to be rebounded by Ali Vander Kolk, Thanks to being in the right place at the right time, the Carmel, Indiana, native collected her fourth goal on the season, giving Snyder her second assist.
Teevans’s trifecta culminated with just under 11 minutes to play in the match. Emma Goebel sent the TU stud into the heart of the Cougar defense, where Teevans took advantage of the goalie wandering too far from the net. The Trojan midfielder executed a chip-shot, sending the ball over the goalie’s head on its way into the net to complete Teevanss’ second-career hat trick.
While the Trojan offense captivated the gaze of the crowd, the team’s defense is what set records. With its fifth straight shutout to start the year, Taylor extended its program-record for consecutive shutouts to start a season. The Trojans have not won with five-consecutive shutouts since 2010, when the team did so between September 18th and October 2nd.
Junior, Emma Shoemaker, made a clutch play in an effort to maintain Taylor’s streak of shutouts. After goalie, Hannah Brackenbury, made an aggressive move to cut off a charging Cougar, the ball trickled on toward the goal. With great effort, Shoemaker hustled toward the net where she sent the ball out of play before IU-Kokomo could fire a shot on the empty net.
All in all, the Trojan defense was outstanding yet again, limiting the Cougars to five shots while Taylor sent off a total of 33.
Taylor (5-0-0) is back in action on Wednesday, when the Trojans will take on Georgetown College (2-2-1) inside Turner Stadium. The Trojans will look to extend their shutout-streak to six, which would establish a new program record for consecutive shutouts.
Recent Comments