By Matt Present for App State Sports. MARTIN, Tenn. – An early second half surge for App State Women’s Soccer resulted in two goals across a seven-minute span, as the Mountaineers claimed a 2-0 road win over University of Tennessee-Martin Thursday night at Skyhawk Soccer Field.
The Mountaineers’ advantage came long before their first tally on the scoreboard. App State (2-1-0) tallied the first ten shots of the game, including a flurry of several good opportunities in the opening 10 minutes of play. App State closed the night with a 17-2 shot advantage, including 6-1 in shots on target. The Mountaineers have totaled 38 shots in their last two matches.
App State opened the scoring in the 50th minute of play. Felicia Erkenfeldt gained possession of the ball just on the App State side of midfield. After freeing herself from her defender, she pushed the ball ahead for Lela Stark. Stark carried possession forward, chipping it on for Olivia Simon, who headed the ball on to Izzi Wood for the finish to make it 1-0.
Moments later, off a Stark corner kick, Stephanie Barbosa ripped a shot from 25 yards out past the diving effort of the UT Martin goalkeeper to give App State a 2-0 advantage.
Kerry Eagleston made just two saves in the match, with her first coming in the 65th minute, when she smothered a loose ball on the doorstep to preserve the shutout, her 20th career clean sheet.
Hannah Löfmark made her first career start in the match, tallying three shots, while Mumu Guisasola, Kaitlyn Little, and Skyler Walk all played all 90 minutes on the Mountaineers’ back line. Olivia Simon also registered three shots in the match, while Wood led the team with five attempts.
App State will return to Boone where they will face off with in-state foe High Point, Sunday at 1 p.m. The match will be broadcast on ESPN+.
