FLORENCE, Ala. (August 22, 2026) – The University of North Alabama soccer team will host its second straight home game against Tennessee Tech this Sunday at 6 p.m. at Cox Creek Sports Complex.  

Live stats will be available at RoarLions.com via StatBroadcast. The game will be broadcast and streamed via ESPN+ as Grant Wakefield and Amy Butler Bailey are on the call. Gyvan Hammons will command the sideline.

MATCHUP
North Alabama vs. Tennessee Tech
Sunday, August 23
6 p.m.
Florence, Ala. – Cox Creek Sports Complex
2500 Chisholm Rd., Florence, AL 35630
LIVE STATS | ESPN+ | TICKETS

NOTES
ABOUT LAST GAME: North Alabama soccer scored six goals in a record-setting win against Union University on Wednesday night. Senior forward Parker Martin scored in 53 seconds, which set the new Division I era record for the fastest goal in a game, after this record was set by teammate Maya Kelsch against UNC Asheville at 119 seconds. Union tied the game shortly after, and the match was held at a tie until halftime. The second half set more records for North Alabama as five Lion goals broke the record for most goals in a half. Along with another goal from Martin, four more Lions netted goals, including Meg Welsh, Gizelle El Assal, Maddie Reynolds and Catherine Schneiderhahn. This game also set the record for most corners in a single game with 12, one of which found the back of the net off the foot of El Assal. The Lions also tied their Division I era record for most shots on goal in a game with 17 of 29 being on target.

SERIES HISTORY: North Alabama and Tennessee Tech have met five times in program history, and only three times in the Division I era. In those three games, the Lions have taken two wins in this series, once in 2018 and once in their most recent matchup with the Golden Eagles last year. The two have only played once in Florence, in 2019, when the Golden Eagles got a road win in overtime. Before the Division I era, the two teams met in 1997 and 1998, where the Lions dropped both games for a 2-3 record all-time.

SCOUTING THE GOLDEN EAGLES: Tennessee Tech enters this matchup with a record of 2-0-1, with back-to-back 1-0 wins against Austin Peay and Radford, and a scoreless draw against Belmont to open their season. Sophomore goalkeepers Laila McNamee and Drew Tolley have played equal minutes across the Golden Eagles' three contests, keeping opponents scoreless across all three. The Golden Eagles have two goal scorers this season in sophomore defender Halle Bibee and junior forward Tori Soutuyo. Tennessee Tech will join the Southern Conference this year after more than 75 years of membership in the Ohio Valley Conference. In the conference's preseason poll, the Golden Eagles earned an eighth place ranking out of 11 teams with no individual players making the preseason all-conference team.

RESET THE RECORD: Last Saturday, Kelsch scored for the Lions in the first two minutes of the game at UNC Asheville to set the fastest goal scored in UNA's Division I history. On Wednesday night, just one game later, Martin scored 53 seconds into the game against Union University, setting a new fastest goal record in the Division I era. She not only holds this program title, but she currently ranks first in the United Athletic Conference for shots on goal. She and Welsh both lead the Lions in goals on the season with two each. 

GOALLLLLLLLL: The Lions have scored three goals and six goals, respectively, between the first two games of the 2026 season. The Wednesday game was the first game since 2018 that UNA scored six or more goals in a single contest. After scoring nine total goals to begin the year, North Alabama has matched the 2012 season as the last season to conquer such a feat.
 
NEXT GAME: The North Alabama Lions continue their home stint as they host Southeast Missouri on Sunday, August 30 at 1 p.m. at Cox Creek Sports Complex.

For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.