Lady Vols Fall To Texas A&M, 4-3

Sunday, October 22

Knoxville

2 PM

University of Tennessee

7-5-4, 2-4-3

Texas A&M

8-6-3, 4-3-2

Texas A&M

Tennessee

October 22, 2023 | Soccer

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By: Kimberly Hood

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Junior Jordan Fusco turned in a hat trick on Sunday, but it wasn't enough to overcome the Aggies as UT fell in Regal Stadium, 4-3.

Sophomore Macaira Midgley, redshirt-sophomore Jenna Stayart and redshirt-senior Maria Nelson earned assists for Tennessee (7-5-4, 2-4-3 SEC). Redshirt-freshman Abby Reisz made the start in goal, collecting five saves. Redshirt-sophomore Ally Zazzara took over in the second half and made two saves.

Texas A&M (8-6-3, 4-3-2 SEC) was led by Jazmine Wilkinson who recorded three goals. Sydney Becerra also found the net for the Aggies. In goal, Kenna Caldwell made four saves.

Tennessee went up early when Midgley found Fusco breaking behind the defense in the fifth minute. Fusco took a touch into the box and buried the shot far post.

Texas A&M leveled the score four minutes later when Wilkinson poked a ball away from Reisz and bounced a shot from the far side of the box off the goalpost and into the net.

Becerra gave the Aggies a lead in the 12^th minute, beating a defender at the top of the box and sending a blast to the far-side net.

In the 31st minute, Mia Pante broke into the UT box and blasted a shot on frame, but Reisz came up with the diving save.

Fusco tried to tie it up in the final 30 seconds of the half, unleashing a blast from 20 yards out, but the attempt was blocked by an Aggie defender, and the 2-1 score held through the break.

The Lady Vols came out hot in the second half, gaining possession and driving to the Aggie baseline where Nelson sent a cross into the box that Fusco put into the net with a diving shot just 13 seconds into the half.

Fusco struck again two and a half minutes later off an entry pass from Stayart, receiving the ball around the penalty mark and placing it low past the keeper.

Makhiya McDonald got a shot off from close range in the 59^th minute, but Zazzara knocked it wide to maintain the Lady Vol advantage.

Wilkinson tied the game up at three in the 77^th minute, toe-poking a ball that bounced around in the box into the net from 10 yards out.

She struck again 50 seconds later for the final goal of the match, sending a header near post off a cross from Sam Smith.

UP NEXT: The Lady Vols will travel to Vanderbilt for an in-state rivalry on Thursday. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT.

OFFENSIVE EFFICIENCY: The Lady Vols scored three goals on 13 shots and put a total of seven shots on frame against TAMU. Over the last two contests, Tennessee has scored six goals on 25 shots with 16 shots on goal for a shot percentage of .240 and a shot-on-goal percentage of .640, decisively above season averages of .126 and .460, respectively.

FUSCO MAKING MOVES: With three goals against Texas A&M, Jordan Fusco rocketed to the top of the team statistics, taking the lead in total points with 16 and tying with Kameron Simmonds and Sizzy Lawton for team leader in goals with six.