SKYHAWKS’ DUEL WITH ARKANSAS STATE ENDS IN SCORELESS TIE ACROSS THIRD AND FINAL EXHIBITION

Friday, August 13

Martin, Tenn.

5 p.m.

UT Martin

0-0-1, 0-0-0

Arkansas State

0-0-1, 0-0-0

Arkansas St.

UT Martin

SKYHAWKS’ DUEL WITH ARKANSAS STATE ENDS IN SCORELESS TIE ACROSS THIRD AND FINAL EXHIBITION

8/13/2021 8:24:00 PM | Soccer

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MARTIN, Tenn. – Facing off against their second straight opposing league champion in their preseason curtain call, the University of Tennessee at Martin soccer team fought tooth and nail with the reigning Sun Belt title-holder Arkansas State on Friday evening at home, ultimately coming to a 0-0 stalemate once the horn sounded on an excruciating 90-minute bout.

Since neither side could find the back of the net after two full halves of play, both coaching staffs determined not to play a would-be overtime period and exit the field at the end of regulation, similarly to the Skyhawks' preseason opener just over one week ago against Memphis.

UT Martin not only hung with the 2020 Sun Belt champs throughout the exhibition, but primarily served as the aggressor over the final 45-minute stretch, accumulating six of their ten shot attempts once reemerging from the locker room. All in all, the Skyhawks outperformed the Red Wolves in the shots department by a slim 10-8 margin, as both sides registered a pair of shots on goal along with three combined saves from UT Martin starting keeper Erica Myers and ASU backup Damaris Deschaine in a pivotal second-half moment.

Forward Emely van der Vliet, last spring's recipient of the Ohio Valley Conference Freshman of the Year award, led the way in the shots column for the Skyhawks in the knotted up final decision, while the freshman combination of Izzy Patterson and Hannah Zahn gathered four boots between the two of them in the final dose of preseason action before the official opening of the 2021 regular season next Thursday in Martin.

No other Arkansas State performer opposite Haley Husted managed more than one shot try on Friday, as UT Martin's fierce defensive front never caved behind the starting quadruplet of first team All-OVC member Maria Castaldo, Catey Hunt, Kamryn Chappell, and newcomer Parker Gelinas. Additionally, Myers aided the Skyhawks to their second shutout in three tries during the preseason by collecting her two saves just over five minutes apart from each other in the opening period.

Gallery: (8-13-2021) Soccer vs. Arkansas State

Junior Sophia Mankowski nearly provided UTM with a very early lead at the 4:49 mark of the first, as did van der Vliet 20 minutes later, although both kicks fell wide of the target. Gelinas came inches away from handing the Skyhawks a 1-0 advantage near the close of the opening stanza with a straightaway header in traffic that was just narrowly deflected by a nearby Red Wolf.

Arkansas State was limited to just a single shot over the remaining 15 minutes of the half before UT Martin raced out of the gates in the second period, launching four shots within the first five minutes of the frame but to no avail. Aside from a brief moment where the Red Wolves threatened to break through with a pair of close-range strikes in the 71^st minute, the Skyhawks achieved possession of the ball for a wide margin of the second half, but couldn't translate that feat into a tie-breaking goal.

Perhaps the team's biggest opportunity for the aforementioned game-winner sailed off the foot of van der Vliet in the 79^th minute, receiving a chance for a free kick that hovered into the diving arm of Deschaine to keep the score linked at zero.

As it turned out, this would be the final try for the Skyhawks over the remainder of the outing, as Arkansas State's Hailey Cloud signified the match's last effort at the net with just over one minute left that rose too high to drop through.

UT Martin will be forced to sit on the scoreless tie for the next six days before approaching the 2021 season opener in their own backyard, welcoming the Salukis of Southern Illinois to Skyhawk Field this Thursday, Aug. 19 at 7 p.m. Southern Illinois will be aiming for a bounce back narrative this fall after a spring campaign that resulted in a winless 0-6-3 trek. Once UT Martin checks off the first of 16 regular season matchups next week against the Salukis, they'll hit the road for three straight contests beginning 72 hours later against the Little Rock Trojans in Arkansas.