2018 SKYHAWK SOCCER SQUAD GOES DOWN AS ONE OF THE BEST IN PROGRAM HISTORY
12/11/2018 10:06:00 AM | Soccer
MARTIN, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee at Martin soccer team has concluded one of the most successful seasons in the program's 20-year history.
The Skyhawks claimed the 2018 Ohio Valley Conference regular season championship, won a program-high 15 matches and claimed the OVC Offensive Player of the Year, OVC Defensive Player of the Year and OVC Coach of the Year awards. UT Martin ranked as high as 65th in the nation based off the NCAA RPI, ranked as high as eighth in the South Region of the United Soccer Coaches Poll and burst into the top-10 in the nation in a host of categories.
UT Martin opened the 2018 campaign at Arkansas State but fell to the Red Wolves by a 2-0 margin. Over the next three matches, the Skyhawks would find the back of the net a total of 14 times as they claimed a 3-1 victory over Marshall, produced a 10-0 rout of Jackson State and edged out Evansville 1-0. The last loss of the regular season came against system rival No. 10 Tennessee but the Skyhawks would hold their own in the first half before dropping the match by a respectable 2-0 score.
UT Martin would then go on a 13-game unbeaten streak, the only non-win being a 0-0 tie against Eastern Illinois. The Skyhawks pulled out a 9-0-1 conference record and 10-1 record at Skyhawk Field. The UT Martin squad was able to put up 26 goals over the 10-match league slate with Amy McGivern leading the pack. The Skyhawks led the OVC in a total of nine categories en route to the regular season title.
McGivern closed out the year as one of the best players in program history to ever don a UT Martin uniform as she became just the second player in school history to win the OVC Offensive Player of the Year award. The Drumaness, Northern Ireland native paced the OVC in points (29), goals (14) and game-winning goals (six). She ranked in the top-10 in program history in numerous categories and helped push the Skyhawks to the top-5 in several categories among all NCAA Division-I institutions as UT Martin finished out the year at No. 1 in the nation in shots on goal per contest (10.32). Her 14 goals on the season ranked her at 11th in the nation in the category while her 1.71 points per match put her at 17th in the country.
The Skyhawk midfielder and defender corps was led by OVC Defensive Player of the Year Kaci Mitchell. The Oak Ridge, Tenn. native was a key piece to the UT Martin back line that limited opposing offenses to a league-best 0.89 goals per match and 7.1 shots per contest.
Goalkeeper Erica Myers was named an All-OVC first teamer as she led the OVC in goals against average (0.82) while making 35 saves and accumulating 10 victories on the year. The Holland, Ohio native racked up six shutouts – good for second-most across the league and just one behind the conference leader.
In all, UT Martin picked up 10 postseason accolades – including McGivern and Mitchell's top honors. Head coach Phil McNamara claimed his second OVC Coach of the Year honor in his time leading the Skyhawks while McGivern, Mitchell, Myers and Danae Kaldaridou took home All-OVC first team accolades for their outstanding play on the season. Skylor Keane showcased her prowess in her first year of collegiate soccer as she was named to the All-OVC second team and All-OVC Newcomer team. Sam Kelly was also tabbed to the All-OVC Newcomer team along with Keane.
After claiming the OVC regular season championship, UT Martin was awarded to host the 2018 OVC Soccer Championship (semifinal and final rounds). The Skyhawks would get an opening-weekend bye before hosting Eastern Kentucky for the second time in three weeks. The semifinals bout remained scoreless throughout the first half of action before the Colonels would strike 29 seconds into the second frame of play. The Skyhawks would then go on a 3-0 run over a 10-minute span as Mitchell, Kelly and McGivern all got in on the action to allow UT Martin advance to its first finals appearance in five years.
In their first OVC soccer championship match since 2013, the Skyhawks faced Murray State as the league's two best programs over the last eight years squared off. The match was scoreless over the first half of play before a pair of Racer goals in the early minutes of the second period put UT Martin in a 2-0 deficit. Mitchell would connect for a goal to trim the Skyhawk deficit in half but time ran out on the UT Martin comeback attempt. A trio of Skyhawks would garner all-tournament team nods as Sara Ketis, Kaldaridou and Jacalyn Schubring earned a spot on the prestigious list.
UT Martin's 15 victories shattered the previous record of 14 in 2011, set a new unbeaten streak of 13 matches and also established new highs in points (128), goals (49) and shots (401). The Skyhawks also boasted one of the nation's top offenses as they finished out the season ranked first in shots on goal per match (10.32), fourth in shots per match (21.11), fifth in scoring offense (2.58), 10th in winning percentage (.816), 15th in total goals (49) and 15th in points per match (6.74).
The Skyhawks claimed the 2018 Ohio Valley Conference regular season championship, won a program-high 15 matches and claimed the OVC Offensive Player of the Year, OVC Defensive Player of the Year and OVC Coach of the Year awards. UT Martin ranked as high as 65th in the nation based off the NCAA RPI, ranked as high as eighth in the South Region of the United Soccer Coaches Poll and burst into the top-10 in the nation in a host of categories.
UT Martin opened the 2018 campaign at Arkansas State but fell to the Red Wolves by a 2-0 margin. Over the next three matches, the Skyhawks would find the back of the net a total of 14 times as they claimed a 3-1 victory over Marshall, produced a 10-0 rout of Jackson State and edged out Evansville 1-0. The last loss of the regular season came against system rival No. 10 Tennessee but the Skyhawks would hold their own in the first half before dropping the match by a respectable 2-0 score.
UT Martin would then go on a 13-game unbeaten streak, the only non-win being a 0-0 tie against Eastern Illinois. The Skyhawks pulled out a 9-0-1 conference record and 10-1 record at Skyhawk Field. The UT Martin squad was able to put up 26 goals over the 10-match league slate with Amy McGivern leading the pack. The Skyhawks led the OVC in a total of nine categories en route to the regular season title.
McGivern closed out the year as one of the best players in program history to ever don a UT Martin uniform as she became just the second player in school history to win the OVC Offensive Player of the Year award. The Drumaness, Northern Ireland native paced the OVC in points (29), goals (14) and game-winning goals (six). She ranked in the top-10 in program history in numerous categories and helped push the Skyhawks to the top-5 in several categories among all NCAA Division-I institutions as UT Martin finished out the year at No. 1 in the nation in shots on goal per contest (10.32). Her 14 goals on the season ranked her at 11th in the nation in the category while her 1.71 points per match put her at 17th in the country.
The Skyhawk midfielder and defender corps was led by OVC Defensive Player of the Year Kaci Mitchell. The Oak Ridge, Tenn. native was a key piece to the UT Martin back line that limited opposing offenses to a league-best 0.89 goals per match and 7.1 shots per contest.
Goalkeeper Erica Myers was named an All-OVC first teamer as she led the OVC in goals against average (0.82) while making 35 saves and accumulating 10 victories on the year. The Holland, Ohio native racked up six shutouts – good for second-most across the league and just one behind the conference leader.
In all, UT Martin picked up 10 postseason accolades – including McGivern and Mitchell's top honors. Head coach Phil McNamara claimed his second OVC Coach of the Year honor in his time leading the Skyhawks while McGivern, Mitchell, Myers and Danae Kaldaridou took home All-OVC first team accolades for their outstanding play on the season. Skylor Keane showcased her prowess in her first year of collegiate soccer as she was named to the All-OVC second team and All-OVC Newcomer team. Sam Kelly was also tabbed to the All-OVC Newcomer team along with Keane.
After claiming the OVC regular season championship, UT Martin was awarded to host the 2018 OVC Soccer Championship (semifinal and final rounds). The Skyhawks would get an opening-weekend bye before hosting Eastern Kentucky for the second time in three weeks. The semifinals bout remained scoreless throughout the first half of action before the Colonels would strike 29 seconds into the second frame of play. The Skyhawks would then go on a 3-0 run over a 10-minute span as Mitchell, Kelly and McGivern all got in on the action to allow UT Martin advance to its first finals appearance in five years.
In their first OVC soccer championship match since 2013, the Skyhawks faced Murray State as the league's two best programs over the last eight years squared off. The match was scoreless over the first half of play before a pair of Racer goals in the early minutes of the second period put UT Martin in a 2-0 deficit. Mitchell would connect for a goal to trim the Skyhawk deficit in half but time ran out on the UT Martin comeback attempt. A trio of Skyhawks would garner all-tournament team nods as Sara Ketis, Kaldaridou and Jacalyn Schubring earned a spot on the prestigious list.
UT Martin's 15 victories shattered the previous record of 14 in 2011, set a new unbeaten streak of 13 matches and also established new highs in points (128), goals (49) and shots (401). The Skyhawks also boasted one of the nation's top offenses as they finished out the season ranked first in shots on goal per match (10.32), fourth in shots per match (21.11), fifth in scoring offense (2.58), 10th in winning percentage (.816), 15th in total goals (49) and 15th in points per match (6.74).
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