The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga soccer program has had issues defeating Virginia Military Institute. In fact, the Mocs never have defeated the Keydets, losing four times and drawing twice – in the 2015 Southern Conference tournament, when VMI advanced on penalty kicks, and again this past Sunday.
For the Mocs’ 2018 season to continue, they’ll need to get that first win this evening.
The Mocs and Keydets face off in the first round of the SoCon tournament at Finley Stadium at 6, with the winner moving on to face second-seeded UNC Greensboro in Saturday’s quarterfinals.
The teams ended the regular season Sunday with a 2-2 tie in Lexington, Virginia. Had the Mocs won, they would have been the third seed and had a bye into the quarterfinals. As it stands, they are the seventh seed but sport an 8-7-3 record and with a victory can ensure their first winning season since 2004.
“We move into the tournament feeling positive and know we have good performances in us,” UTC coach Gavin McKinney said after Sunday’s match.
Wrestling third; Allen preseason All-SoCon
The UTC wrestling program was picked third in the SoCon preseason polls Tuesday, and defending conference champion and 125-pounder Alonzo Allen was a preseason all-league honoree.
Appalachian State was the preseason favorite, followed by Campbell. The Mocs, under new coach Kyle Ruschell, were followed by Gardner-Webb, VMI, The Citadel and Davidson.
Six of the 10 preseason selections were Mountaineers, winners of the last two SoCon championships.
The Mocs were 8-7 last season in duals and 6-1 in the league, falling 18-16 to ASU for their lone SoCon loss. Allen was 22-10 and 6-1 in league matches.
The wrestlers’ Blue-Gold match is Saturday at noon at the First Tennessee Pavilion.
In other sports…
-The UTC cross country teams compete in the conference meet Saturday at Western Carolina. The women won in their last meet at the Berry Invitational, while the men finished second.
-The volleyball program has a three-game losing streak, and life doesn’t get much easier this weekend with home matches against league-leading East Tennessee State on Friday at 7 and UNCG on Saturday at 6. The Mocs are 8-15 and 4-6 in the league, in a four-way tie for fifth place in the loss column.
-The men’s golfers will play in the Grandover Collegiate this Saturday and Sunday in Greensboro, North Carolina, and the women will be in Dallas for the Trinity Forest Invitational from Monday through Wednesday.
-The men’s tennis team hosts the three-day Steve Baras Fall Classic starting Friday on UTC’s new courts. The women will play in Cincinnati, also starting Friday.