MEMPHIS – The Tiger women's soccer team played its first matchup in the SAA Conference Tournament, in a semifinal round against the Centre Colonels. From the start, the Tigers showcased immediate dominance over the Colonels, ending the matchup in a 2-0 win.

The Rundown 
The Tigers played their first 90 minutes of post-season soccer today against Centre College. It became clear quite early in the match how the game would go, and how the Tigers would be dominating the entirety of it. In only the 6th minute of the match, forward Lila Brackin (Dallas, Texas / Lake Highlands) received a ball from the Tigers midfielder. Brackin immediately charged forward and found the feet of fellow forward Hanna Khan (Southlake, Texas / Carroll) inside of the 18-yard box. Khan took a touch and ripped the ball straight into the back of the net, not even giving the Colonels keeper a chance to move. This was Khan's 4th goal of the season, but she wasn't done yet. Only 14 minutes later, in the 20th minute of the match, the Tigers received a corner kick opportunity against the Colonels. Midfielder Elie Kriek (New Orleans, La. / The Willow School) struck a gorgeous, deep ball into the 6-yard box. The ball bounced past the back post where midfielder Bri Werner (Woodbine, Md. / Glenelg) was standing, ready to receive it. Werner took a touch then released the ball to Khan at the top of the 18-yard box. Khan took a singular shot then released the ball deep into the far corner of the net. After not learning the first time, Khan reinforced to the Colonel defense the danger of her shots. This made the match 2-0.

Despite maintaining control of possession and dictating the pace of play, the Tigers were unable to find the back of the net again as the match wore on. Both teams battled intensely in the midfield, with the Tigers showcasing their composure and defensive strength to stifle any attempt at a Colonel comeback. One of Centre's few dangerous opportunities came midway through the second half, when a quick counterattack left their forward alone in a 1v1 situation with Tigers goalkeeper Lauren Little (Houston, Texas / Episcopal). In a defining moment of the match, Little timed her charge perfectly, diving fearlessly to smother the ball and deny what appeared to be a certain goal. The remarkable save will undoubtedly go down as one of the finest of her career. From there, the Tigers continued to control possession, pressing high and creating several promising chances in the attacking third. Despite their relentless effort and creativity around the box, another goal never materialized. Still, their dominance and disciplined play told the story of a team in peak form. With back-to-back 2-0 victories over the Colonels within just a month, the Tigers have now firmly stamped their place in the SAA Conference Tournament Championship, proving that their momentum and chemistry are peaking at exactly the right time.

Up Next
The Tigers will be playing in the SAA Conference Tournament Final this Sunday, Nov. 9th at 12:00 PM against either Rhodes College or Sewanee, playing for an automatic spot into the NCAA Tournament.