In a game that set an attendance record for Memphis women’s soccer, the Tigers left the field upset.
The final score between No. 14 Memphis and No. 2 Tennessee was 0-0 on Sept. 4.
“You know what I love? They’re upset, man,” Memphis coach Brooks Monaghan said. “They’re pissed. And this is the second team in the country. And they’re mad that they didn’t win. A lot of people would be celebrating a tie, and this group isn’t.”
The 0-0 draw obviously didn’t include any goals, but it led to plenty of postgame talking points about the direction of Monghan’s program. The Tigers had come in at 5-0, having already beaten three SEC opponents. They were hosting a Tennessee team that hadn’t conceded a goal all season, and there was anticipation throughout the city all week.
Memphis’ fans met the moment, with an announced crowd of 2,218 that broke the attendence record for Memphis soccer. It included plenty of other Memphis coaches and athletes, including Penny Hardaway, Alex Simmons and both of their respective basketball teams. It included USMNT legend Tim Howard, whose daughter Ali graduated from nearby Briarcrest and now plays for the Lady Vols. The fans broke the attendance record even though the stadium is in the midst of a renovation and didn’t even have bleachers.
The rivalry doesn’t need extra stakes, but it had it on this night in Memphis. The Tigers lost in Knoxville last season, a damaging result that ultimately cost them a spot in the NCAA touranment.
The Lady Vols had the lion’s share of the possession early, but Memphis came closest to scoring in the second half. Tennessee preserved its perfect clean sheet record, though, when Cayden Norris saved Ashley Henderson’s penalty and kept the game scoreless.
Things opened up in the second half. American Conference freshman of the year Ai Kitagawa went off injured in the first half, so Henderson played deeper than her normal role at the top of the attack. Both teams created chances, and a scramble in the box led to a review for a potential handball on Tennessee — one that ended with inconclusive evidence and an escape for the Lady Vols.
“It just kind of goes to show that it doesn’t matter who you are,” defender Finley Lavin said. “We will take it to you.”
The Tigers have established themselves as one of the top teams in the country, but the uncomfortable part of their schedule comes next. After the non-conference finale against UT Martin on Sept. 8, the Tigers will go into conference play as the hunted — the clear top team in the conference that gets everyone else’s best shot. It’s a role they’ve played for years.
Confidence won’t be an issue after 90 minutes with Tennessee.
“If you can hang with the No. 2 team, it feels like you can take on the world,” goalie Abby Kudla said.
Monaghan acknowledged that there were “deer in the headlights” moments against Tennessee, but the Tigers never let go of the rope and never conceded a goal.
“I think a lot of people thought this would be a rebuilding year,” he said. “And it’s not. I think tonight should prove a lot to our girls that they can compete with anybody.”
Reach sports writer Jonah Dylan at jonah.dylan@commercialappeal.com or on X @thejonahdylan.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Why Memphis women’s soccer didn’t celebrate after draw with Tennessee
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