MARYVILLE – Maryville must settle for merely equaling the best start to a season in program history.
Sewanee (3-2-0) came to town Tuesday night and posted a 3-1 victory over the home side. The Scots were vying for their fifth consecutive win out of the gate, hoping to go one better than the 1991 Maryville squad that also opened 4-0-0.
The Scots trailed 1-0 at halftime but that was no worry. Maryville in its first four matches had scored eight of its 12 goals after intermission. And following an early second-half penalty kick that made it 2-0 Tigers, the Scots got on the board when
Avery Brown tallied her third of the season.
Macy Lindsey forwarded a pass into the box and Brown belted a right-footer against the crossbar and in from 10 yards away in the 61st minute. The comeback had begun.
But just nine seconds later – nine seconds! – Sewanee's Brianna Fee scored off a nice double feed and completely swung the momentum back to the visitors. The Scots put two more shots on net over the final 29 minutes, but Sewanee's Leah Atkins was up to the task in goal to claim her first victory of the season.
Maryville held a slight edge in ball possession with 52 percent to 48 percent, but Sewanee outshot the Scots 15-8 and led 5-2 in corner kicks. Maryville goalkeeper
Sophie Turner had seven saves, and the assist by Lindsey was her second of the year.
Katie O'Brien fired two shots on goal and
Chloe Chase one for Maryville.
That 1991 team that also lost its fifth match of the season went on to a 12-2-1 campaign. Their only other loss? 4-0 to Vanderbilt.
Maryville had jumped to seventh in Region VI in the initial rankings from United Soccer Coaches.
Both Maryville teams play Friday at Berry (5 p.m. doubleheader) and Sunday at Birmingham-Southern (noon Central time doubleheader). The women are home again Sept. 22 for the CCS opener against Belhaven (7 p.m.).
