Aug. 30, 2009

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Tennessee-Pepperdine PDF Box Score

By Brian Davis

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - A 26th minute goal from midfielder Kelly Reilly proved enough as Pepperdine (2-1-0) defeated No. 23 Tennessee (1-2-0), 1-0, on Sunday afternoon at the Regal Soccer Stadium in the finale of the annual First Tennessee Lady Vol Classic.

The Waves outshot the Big Orange during the match, 13-6, including a 7-1 discrepancy on shots on frame. Junior goalkeeper Molly Baird was solid in net for UT with six saves, helping keep the Lady Vols in the match throughout. Junior midfielder Julie Edwards posted Tennessee's lone shot on goal, while freshman forward Jayden Barrett electrified the crowd and demonstrated her outstanding athletic promise with a solo, end-to-end run before firing just a foot or two high of the frame near the end of the opening stanza.

Sophomore forward Emily Dowd, freshman defender Ali Hall and goalkeeper Baird were UT's three representatives to the 11-member First Tennessee Lady Vol Classic All-Tournament Team.

"I'm disappointed in our team's performance today, but I certainly don't want to take anything away from Pepperdine," Lady Vol head coach Angela Kelly said. "They came out with a great game plan and executed it, while we didn't execute ours. We were unable to string passes together and combine anything into the attacking third to create solid scoring opportunities. We have to learn to overcome the adversity that is facing us from every direction and expect more from ourselves as a team."

Pepperdine had the best of the offensive chances in the early going as the Waves forced a pair of corner kicks in the opening eight minutes and forward Sophia Medina laced a shot that Baird was forced to save (4:15).

At 10:08, Tennessee managed one of its three corners in the contest, and just minutes later, got a shot on frame from Edwards that was corralled by Pepperdine netminder Roxanne Barker.

Following a pair of off-side calls on the Waves and another shot on goal from Medina, Pepperdine finally broke into the scoring column.

Medina received a pass just outside the right side of the 18-yard box, dribbled into traffic and tried to pass across to a teammate. The ball deflected off the foot of a Tennessee defender and, unfortunately for the Lady Vols, traveled right to Reilly who slammed the ball, from approximately eight yards out, into the lower right corner past Baird for a 1-0 lead.

Suddenly faced with a deficit, UT senior forward Mick Imgram and Hall each tried to get something going offensively for the Big Orange. The duo fired shots high of the net in the 36th and 38th minutes, respectively.

Perhaps the most exciting play of the contest for the Lady Vols occurred at 42:28 as Barrett corralled the ball deep in her own end and took off on a solo sprint up the left wing. Dribbling about 30 yards out and with the Tennessee crowd's volume quickly rising, the Corona, Calif., native turned to the middle of the field and a step or two inside the 18-yard box unleashed a right-footed blast that traveled just a foot or two above the very center of the frame. Pepperdine out-shot the Orange & White, 7-4, in the opening stanza.

Following the halftime break, neither offense managed much of an attack until UT drew a corner kick at 55:37 and Pepperdine at 56:40.

The Waves missed a golden opportunity to add to their total on the scoreboard in the 62nd minute. Medina again fired a shot that Baird saved, but on the rebound the sphere traveled to midfielder Michelle Spacciapolli. Her shot would have found paydirt if not for UT junior defender Melissa Speros, who saved the ball off the goal line and out for a corner.

Tennessee struggled to mount a sustained offense down the stretch in the second half with its best opportunity to knot the count coming on an Imgram blast that was blocked out in front at 82:11. The Lady Vols just couldn't string together enough passes to break through with the tying score.

The Big Orange take their first road trip of the early season next weekend by traveling to Minneapolis, Minn., for matches against Minnesota and Wisconsin. The Lady Vols open action against the home-standing Golden Gophers on Fri., Sept. 4, at 8 p.m. ET, and battle the Badgers on Sun., Sept. 6, at 12:30 p.m. ET. Live stats are expected to be available through utladyvols.com.

First Tennessee Lady Vol Classic All-Tournament Team

Monica Dolinsky, Kansas; Courtney Tinnin, Arizona State; Emily Dowd, Tennessee; Kelly Reilly, Pepperdine; Liz Harkin, Arizona State; Molly Baird, Tennessee; Sophia Medina, Pepperdine; Karin Volpe, Arizona State; Lauren Jackson, Kansas; Emily Cressy, Kansas; Ali Hall, Tennessee

Offensive Most Valuable Player: Emily Cressy, Kansas

Defensive Most Valuable Player: Lauren Jackson, Kansas

Overall Most Valuable Player: Lauren Jackson, Kansas