UTM SOCCER CARRIES RED-HOT OFFENSE INTO SUNDAY MATINEE WITH WRIGHT STATE

MARTIN, Tenn. – Through the early days of September, five matches have come and gone for the University of Tennessee at Martin soccer team. At no point in 2021 have the Skyhawks and 12^th-year head coach Phil McNamara felt more dangerous on the attack than this moment, powering in six goals over the past two outings, a 2-1 thriller over Indiana State in Terre Haute and a 4-1 bludgeoning of North Alabama last Thursday in Martin.

Preparing for the only instance in the fall schedule wherein consecutive home games arise just three days apart from one another, the Skyhawks and their uber-aggressive offense take on the Raiders of Wright State University on Sunday afternoon with a first touch penciled in for 1:00 p.m.

Awaiting kickoff between 3-1-1 UTM and 2-1-1 WSU, the Raiders will be making the trip to Skyhawk Field for the very first time in the third overall meeting of the series. After dropping a 3-2 decision in Oxford, Ohio 10 years back, UT Martin got their chance at redemption in 2019 but couldn't cash in on a 110-minute sprint which ultimately ended in a 2-2 tie.

Four players have scooped up two goals apiece to account for the Skyhawks' eight-score total on the season, 75% of which have occurred over the past two outings. The senior combo of Jill Hildreth and Bella Roberts mirrored each other in the victories over Indiana State and North Alabama by mashing a pair of scores in the same game. In the case of Roberts, the Murfreesboro, Tenn. native achieved that feat in just two minutes and six seconds as part of UTM's offensive avalanche over the Lions.

Additionally, Jaden Hildreth and true freshman Makayla Robinson have also padded two strikes to their tally this semester, each scoring in the season opener versus Southern Illinois and last Thursday's blowout over UNA, coincidentally the team's only two home matches to this point.

UT Martin will hit the second of three straight home appearances on Sunday when battling Wright State, searching for their third win in a row with just three non-conference dates remaining on the schedule. Recently shaking some early troubles for a 3-0 shutout against Akron in their last go-around, the Raiders and first-year head coach Travis Sobers bring with them a similar mold of experienced players to that of the Skyhawks.

Graduate GK Erica Myers and Jill Hildreth have already gained recognition from the Ohio Valley Conference by each representing the league's Goalkeeper and Offensive Player of the Week awards, the former becoming the all-time school leader in matches played (69) while also sitting in 2^nd place in the UTM record books in the categories of total saves (279) and wins (33). Hildreth holds the title of most goals scored over a career among all active players on the roster with 15 after the game-winner at ISU, followed closely by Roberts with 12 collegiate strikes.

Not only has the Skyhawk attack been fearsome over the past 180 minutes of action, but so too has the back line, only giving up three goals in five matches (the second-lowest figure in all of the OVC, just one behind Morehead State who has featured in one less match). Surrendering an average of .060 scores per game while out-shooting the opposition 59-33 – including a 26-5 runaway over North Alabama – UT Martin is shaping themselves up for a run at the top of the OVC's card once conference play gets underway on September 26^th, having been picked 4^th by the league in the preseason projections.

Following the 1:00 start time with Wright State at the close of the weekend, the Skyhawks will wait seven days until their next bout – again at home – taking on Western Carolina in the penultimate non-conference matchup of the year. A road trip to Southeastern Conference mainstay Arkansas then awaits one week after the three-game home stand comes to a close.

UTM SOCCER CARRIES RED-HOT OFFENSE INTO SUNDAY MATINEE WITH WRIGHT STATE

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Players Mentioned

Jaden Hildreth

Jill Hildreth

Erica Myers

Bella Roberts

Makayla Robinson