Little by little, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga women's soccer team is taking steps to becoming a more competitive program.
Unfortunately for the Mocs, they've been baby steps.
UTC lost 2-0 to former Southern Conference member Elon on Sunday at Finley Stadium. It was the Mocs' 13th consecutive loss dating to the 2014 season and the fourth consecutive match they've been shut out.
UTC's Ashely Simmons, left, and Elon's Kelly Siewers contend for a header as Masey Fox (14) approaches as UTC hosts Elon in a women's soccer match at Finley Stadium on Sunday, Aug. 30, 2015, in Chattanooga, Tenn. Siewers scored both goals as Elon beat UTC by a score of 2-0. Improvements have been noticeable in coach Gavin McKinney's first season, though, including not allowing a goal in the first half through three games. The next step is maintaining that defensive effort while finding a couple of opportunities on the offensive end.
McKinney said the team has to improve on attacking as a group. Too many times a player will advance downfield, then not have anyone to pass to once she's down there.
"First and foremost, we want to get results," McKinney said. "We've been competitive; now we've got to start finding ways to grind it out. We've seen improvement in our performance, but we can't be satisfied with that. We want results, we want to win games.
"For us to score, it's got to be collective. It's one of the things we addressed Friday (after a 1-0 loss at Kennesaw State). Somebody has to take a chance."
Kelly Siewers scored both goals Sunday for the Phoenix (2-1). The first came on a header in the box on a Sydney Schilling cross, while the second was flicked in off another cross, this one off the foot of Nyah Spearman.
The Mocs, who lost 1-0 in extra time to Austin Peay in their season opener a week earlier, had a few opportunities against Elon. They finished with three shots on goal - the same as the Phoenix - with two of them fairly dangerous. Abby Linder fired a long shot that was saved by Hanna Macauley, who had to range back to punch a later attempt by McKenzie Gregg over the crossbar.
The team realizes there has been an overall improvement, but the Mocs also realize it's going to take a group effort to take the next significant step.
"We're defending well as a team, now we have to figure out how to put together an attack and finish the ball," said junior defender Ashley Simmons, a former Chattanooga Christian standout. "We're taking major strides, and there has been a lot of improvement from last year. We have practice Tuesday, and we're going to hit the field and get after it again.
"We can't be complacent. We're 0-3, and that's not good enough. We want to win."
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him at Twitter.com/genehenleytfp.