WKU Soccer Draws with Tennessee Tech

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — WKU Soccer opened the 2023 season with a 1-1 tie against Tennessee Tech on Thursday night at the WKU Soccer Complex.

“I really liked our ball movement for significant portions of the first half and the beginning of the second half,” said head coach Jason Neidell. “I think we petered out a little in the second half. The preseason has taken a toll on us. We’re coming off a hard preseason. I was really more encouraged than anything else. I thought there were moments we were really, really good. We were unfortunate we weren’t able to hold on and get the result tonight.”

Katie Erwin scored WKU’s lone goal of the night off a free kick in the 15th minute. The Lady Toppers faked the first kick with Ambere Barnett and Erwin followed with a boom of a kick that launched the ball into the upper right corner. It was Erwin’s 11th career goal as a Lady Topper.

Goalkeeper Maddie Davis made a jumping save in the 41st minute that kept the match scoreless. Tennessee Tech equalized in the 85th minute.

Erwin, Brooke Sleeva and Kayla Meyer each got off three shots in the match to lead the team. All three of Erwin’s shots were on goal. Kendall Wade, Ambere Barnett and Anna Isger each also got a shot off in the game.

Overall, WKU outshot the Golden Eagles 12-6 in the match including a 6-2 shots on goal differential.

Five players played their first game as a Lady Topper in the match with freshmen Rylee Finol, Kora Kipley and Rebecca Roth getting their debuts and transfers Wade and Rachel Dewey seeing action as well.

The two teams have played only one other time in series history. That meeting came in 2022 and was also a 1-1 tie. That match followed a similar pattern with an early WKU goal and a late Tennessee Tech equalizer.

WKU will be back in action on Saturday against Union (Tenn.) at the WKU Soccer Complex. That match is set for a 7 p.m. start time.