University of Tennessee Athletics
Inside Tennessee Soccer’s Hot Start to the 2025 Season
September 11, 2025 | Soccer
As the final seconds dissolved off the clock, a Big Orange cheer tore through Regal Soccer Stadium. Then, the final whistle blew, signaling the end of the match. Players poured onto the pitch and fans saluted with a standing ovation for their victorious, and at the time unranked Lady Vols, who had just taken down the No.1 North Carolina Tarheels at home in their season opener.
"It feels good. It feels really good," Lady Vols goalkeeper Cayden Norris replied when asked about how it felt to topple the Tarheels. "It just felt like everything we had done in the spring, summer and preseason was just built up to that moment. We worked so hard for that."
Norris' celebration was not only deserved, but it was earned. The shutdown keeper registered five saves through a full 90 minutes of play to shutout the top ranked team and claim the Volunteer victory. Though her defensive antics were what kept the Tarheels off of the scoresheet, it was her beloved teammate and forward Shae O'Rourke whose pair of braces put the Lady Vols on top.
O'Rourke, who was coming back from injury, started her first game for the Lady Vols in the matchup against the Tarheels. She made sure to waste no time as she scored twice in the win, which doubled as her first goals of the season and as a member of the Lady Vols.
"It was my first game back from injury, so it felt really good to just score again for this team and show Tennessee that I'm here and ready. It's also amazing to score against the top ranked team, especially number one at the time." O'Rourke said.
O'Rourke knows the difference a marker can make, and was glad to provide the spark that the team needed.
"Once the first goal went in, I think our whole team was pretty electric after that. So you could see the intensity just increase, and [then] that second goal came," O'Rourke said. " When we heard that [final] whistle, we always wanted to be together and celebrate, and it was a really special moment."
In that moment, the whole team knew they had to soak it in.
"It was honestly an incredible feeling," defender Leah Kiurman said of the opening upset. "I'll probably remember it for the rest of my life."
Since then, the Lady Vols have been red-hot, and neither plan to nor show signs of slowing down.
The squad earned a day of rest before taking the pitch for a Sunday matinee against the Eastern Kentucky Colonels.
After a relatively calm first half that saw a couple of goals from Ally Brown and O'Rourke, the Lady Vols offense exploded with seven goals in the second half to soar to a 9-0 victory. Five of the teams' goals came from Aliva Stott, whose efforts set a new program record for most goals scored in one half. If that stat was not impressive enough, Stott's quick nature also set a new record for the shortest span in which a Tennessee player has scored five goals with only 20 minutes separating all five tallies.
Norris started the first half, while her goalkeeping partner Ally Zazzara relieved her for second half duties as both netminders helped to keep the Colonels off the board. Norris will be the first one to tell you how important the team in front of her is, and give praise for their efforts in the team's success. Through the team's seven games, neither goalkeeper has allowed a single goal, with Norris recording 18 total saves through six starts, including against two top-10 teams, as well as another top-25 team.
"It feels amazing. You know, it's not just me, it's my whole back line. We have just a defensive mentality, and it starts all the way at the front," Norris said. "We take pride in not giving any goals up. I mean, we go into every game just trying to keep that [clean sheet] streak going, and it's something that, you know, we hold close to us."
Since their record-setting rout of Eastern Kentucky, the Lady Vols have rolled through nonconference play, finishing with an undefeated 6-0-1 record, the lone draw coming to a top-25 ranked team in the No. 14 Memphis Tigers. In the stretch Tennessee has picked up victories with a 1-0 win against the No 4. UCLA Bruins, a 3-0 win against the Loyola-Marymount Tigers, a 3-0 win against the Western Carolina Catamounts, and a 1-0 win against the Georgia Southern Eagles.
During the nearly unblemished stretch lies many bright spots for the team. The Lady Vols have set or tied numerous program records, including:
-Tied a program record for most goals scored by the team in a match.
-Tied a program record for largest margin of victory, as well as largest margin of victory combined with a shutout
-Tied a new program for most goals scored by a single player in a match.
-Set a new program record for most goals scored by a single player in a half.
-Set a new program record for most players recording a point in a match.
-Tied a program record for longest consecutive match shutout streak.
Amongst these records sets one above all the others, a stat which the whole team contributes to, but has never been reached before in Lady Vols soccer history. The team has finally received its first ever No.1 overall ranking.
According to the United Soccer Coaches poll, which is the polling system officially recognized by the NCAA, the Lady Vols are the No.1 ranked team in the nation. Since first taking the field nearly 30 years ago in 1996, the Lady Vols have not once been ranked first overall– until now.
Gaining this feat is not something the team takes lightly, and they all know how special it is.
Midfielder Jenna Stayart sits at third place on the team with a total of eight points from three goals and two assists. Stayart has been an integral part in the team's success, contributing both on offense and defense as her midfield position requires. To Stayart, the feeling of the ranking is special.
"It's awesome. It feels surreal." Stayart said.
O'Rourke, who is tied with Stott for most points on the team, echoes Stayart's sentiments.
"I've never been on a team that's been number one, so this is just a great feeling, and to do it at Tennessee for the first time is really rewarding for all these girls," O'Rourke said. "We put in so much hard work and it's showing finally. We just want to continue to stay there and create a legacy for this program."
Between a roster full of star-studded players, record setting accomplishments, national ranks and everything in between, the Lady Vols success on the field to start the season is evident.If any doubt was left, none should remain. But, the success on the field starts off the field, and this squad is the perfect example of that.
The culture cultivated at Tennessee is more than just winning, but it is caring. These girls do not just see each other as teammates, but as family. From being willing to put their bodies on the line during the game, to even just spending their down time together, this Lady Vols squad truly cares for each other.
"Everyone on our team's close. Like, we'll just hang out with each other all the time. We all live pretty close, so we're around each other all the time and that just helps," Norris said. "So, when we're on the field, that relationship is stronger and we can just keep encouraging each other and have trust in each other."
Norris can recall some of her favorite moments that make this team so special, both big and small.
"Anytime we're not on the field, like, we're always doing something. Even when we're on the field, there's moments where we're just messing around, laughing with each other," Norris said. "The locker room's always crazy. The bus is always crazy. All of us have just a good time together."
From the crazy bus rides to the shenanigans on the pitch, one word stands out to describe the team– fun.
"You know, we're a fun team and we're really funny." O'Rourke said.
As laughs abound and memories are made, the results on the pitch will continue to become more serious as the Lady Vols shift to conference play for the remainder of the 2025 season. Although the girls know to take it one game and one day at a time, the squad knows what the true, ultimate goal is: winning it all.
"Let's keep on winning," O'Rourke said. "Let's win the Natty."
"It feels good. It feels really good," Lady Vols goalkeeper Cayden Norris replied when asked about how it felt to topple the Tarheels. "It just felt like everything we had done in the spring, summer and preseason was just built up to that moment. We worked so hard for that."
Norris' celebration was not only deserved, but it was earned. The shutdown keeper registered five saves through a full 90 minutes of play to shutout the top ranked team and claim the Volunteer victory. Though her defensive antics were what kept the Tarheels off of the scoresheet, it was her beloved teammate and forward Shae O'Rourke whose pair of braces put the Lady Vols on top.
O'Rourke, who was coming back from injury, started her first game for the Lady Vols in the matchup against the Tarheels. She made sure to waste no time as she scored twice in the win, which doubled as her first goals of the season and as a member of the Lady Vols.
"It was my first game back from injury, so it felt really good to just score again for this team and show Tennessee that I'm here and ready. It's also amazing to score against the top ranked team, especially number one at the time." O'Rourke said.
O'Rourke knows the difference a marker can make, and was glad to provide the spark that the team needed.
"Once the first goal went in, I think our whole team was pretty electric after that. So you could see the intensity just increase, and [then] that second goal came," O'Rourke said. " When we heard that [final] whistle, we always wanted to be together and celebrate, and it was a really special moment."
In that moment, the whole team knew they had to soak it in.
"It was honestly an incredible feeling," defender Leah Kiurman said of the opening upset. "I'll probably remember it for the rest of my life."
Since then, the Lady Vols have been red-hot, and neither plan to nor show signs of slowing down.
The squad earned a day of rest before taking the pitch for a Sunday matinee against the Eastern Kentucky Colonels.
After a relatively calm first half that saw a couple of goals from Ally Brown and O'Rourke, the Lady Vols offense exploded with seven goals in the second half to soar to a 9-0 victory. Five of the teams' goals came from Aliva Stott, whose efforts set a new program record for most goals scored in one half. If that stat was not impressive enough, Stott's quick nature also set a new record for the shortest span in which a Tennessee player has scored five goals with only 20 minutes separating all five tallies.
Norris started the first half, while her goalkeeping partner Ally Zazzara relieved her for second half duties as both netminders helped to keep the Colonels off the board. Norris will be the first one to tell you how important the team in front of her is, and give praise for their efforts in the team's success. Through the team's seven games, neither goalkeeper has allowed a single goal, with Norris recording 18 total saves through six starts, including against two top-10 teams, as well as another top-25 team.
"It feels amazing. You know, it's not just me, it's my whole back line. We have just a defensive mentality, and it starts all the way at the front," Norris said. "We take pride in not giving any goals up. I mean, we go into every game just trying to keep that [clean sheet] streak going, and it's something that, you know, we hold close to us."
Since their record-setting rout of Eastern Kentucky, the Lady Vols have rolled through nonconference play, finishing with an undefeated 6-0-1 record, the lone draw coming to a top-25 ranked team in the No. 14 Memphis Tigers. In the stretch Tennessee has picked up victories with a 1-0 win against the No 4. UCLA Bruins, a 3-0 win against the Loyola-Marymount Tigers, a 3-0 win against the Western Carolina Catamounts, and a 1-0 win against the Georgia Southern Eagles.
During the nearly unblemished stretch lies many bright spots for the team. The Lady Vols have set or tied numerous program records, including:
-Tied a program record for most goals scored by the team in a match.
-Tied a program record for largest margin of victory, as well as largest margin of victory combined with a shutout
-Tied a new program for most goals scored by a single player in a match.
-Set a new program record for most goals scored by a single player in a half.
-Set a new program record for most players recording a point in a match.
-Tied a program record for longest consecutive match shutout streak.
Amongst these records sets one above all the others, a stat which the whole team contributes to, but has never been reached before in Lady Vols soccer history. The team has finally received its first ever No.1 overall ranking.
According to the United Soccer Coaches poll, which is the polling system officially recognized by the NCAA, the Lady Vols are the No.1 ranked team in the nation. Since first taking the field nearly 30 years ago in 1996, the Lady Vols have not once been ranked first overall– until now.
Gaining this feat is not something the team takes lightly, and they all know how special it is.
Midfielder Jenna Stayart sits at third place on the team with a total of eight points from three goals and two assists. Stayart has been an integral part in the team's success, contributing both on offense and defense as her midfield position requires. To Stayart, the feeling of the ranking is special.
"It's awesome. It feels surreal." Stayart said.
O'Rourke, who is tied with Stott for most points on the team, echoes Stayart's sentiments.
"I've never been on a team that's been number one, so this is just a great feeling, and to do it at Tennessee for the first time is really rewarding for all these girls," O'Rourke said. "We put in so much hard work and it's showing finally. We just want to continue to stay there and create a legacy for this program."
Between a roster full of star-studded players, record setting accomplishments, national ranks and everything in between, the Lady Vols success on the field to start the season is evident.If any doubt was left, none should remain. But, the success on the field starts off the field, and this squad is the perfect example of that.
The culture cultivated at Tennessee is more than just winning, but it is caring. These girls do not just see each other as teammates, but as family. From being willing to put their bodies on the line during the game, to even just spending their down time together, this Lady Vols squad truly cares for each other.
"Everyone on our team's close. Like, we'll just hang out with each other all the time. We all live pretty close, so we're around each other all the time and that just helps," Norris said. "So, when we're on the field, that relationship is stronger and we can just keep encouraging each other and have trust in each other."
Norris can recall some of her favorite moments that make this team so special, both big and small.
"Anytime we're not on the field, like, we're always doing something. Even when we're on the field, there's moments where we're just messing around, laughing with each other," Norris said. "The locker room's always crazy. The bus is always crazy. All of us have just a good time together."
From the crazy bus rides to the shenanigans on the pitch, one word stands out to describe the team– fun.
"You know, we're a fun team and we're really funny." O'Rourke said.
As laughs abound and memories are made, the results on the pitch will continue to become more serious as the Lady Vols shift to conference play for the remainder of the 2025 season. Although the girls know to take it one game and one day at a time, the squad knows what the true, ultimate goal is: winning it all.
"Let's keep on winning," O'Rourke said. "Let's win the Natty."
Players Mentioned
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/ SoccerEverything Orange S3 | Shae O'Rourke (Soccer)
Friday, September 12
SOC | ALLY ZAZZARA POSTGAME VS. GEORGIA SOUTHERN (9.7.25)
Sunday, September 07
SOC | JOE KIRT POSTGAME VS. GEORGIA SOUTHERN (9.7.25)
Sunday, September 07
SOC | JENNA STAYART POSTGAME VS. GEORGIA SOUTHERN (9.7.25)
Sunday, September 07
