Shaw’s goal lifts Mocs past Lipscomb for 1-0 victory
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga sophomore forward Samantha Shaw took advantage of her time on the pitch to knock home the lone goal of the game and the Mocs held off Lipscomb for a 1-0 victory at the UTC Sports Complex on a hot and humid afternoon this past Sunday.
Shaw took a pass from freshman Mackenzie Smith and gathered the ball just outside the 25-yard box. She right-footed a shot to the top left corner just over the Lipscomb keeper’s outstretched hand in the 44th minute.
“I was delighted for Sam,” Chattanooga head coach Gavin McKinney said. “I think this was the second game that we’ve played her at center forward. Fantastic goal.”
The teams were near even with Lipscomb holding a 15-14 advantage on shots and a 5-4 edge in corner kicks on the day. The Mocs’ keeper, sophomore Ashton Shields, had six saves and earned her seventh career shutout.
Her biggest save of the game came in the 83rd minute. Lipscomb’s Peyton Brandenburg lined up for the penalty kick and Shields dove to her right, deflecting the ball to the far side of the box. Both teams charged and UTC’s Jordan Mueller was able to get to the ball first and push it out of play.
Shaw and Chloe Arnold each had three shots for Chattanooga and Maddie Burman added a pair. Lipscomb’s leading scorer Olivia Doak took three shots, but was kept out of the net. Leah Cernicky added three and Hannah Torbett put two towards the goal with no luck.
The Mocs are 3-0-1 on the year for their best start of the McKinney era. Chattanooga’s best start prior to his arrival was 5-0 in 2009.
Lipscomb evens its record to 2-2 on the year.
Chattanooga will head to Atlanta to take on Georgia State this Friday night for its next contest before returning to the Scenic City to host SEC foe Alabama this coming Sunday. The game will kick off at 1 p.m. and admission is free. Both games can be followed online at GoMocs.com.