KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee soccer closed the 2026 regular season in winning fashion on Sunday afternoon, claiming a 3-1 victory over Oklahoma at Regal Soccer Stadium.
The Lady Vols (7-5-4, 2-5-3) earned their first victory since Sept. 11 at LSU, closing the conference slate the same way it began, as the team also defeated the Tigers by a scoreline of 3-1. Tennessee’s three goals on Sunday are its most in a single match since the LSU contest.
“Proud of our group today for getting the result at home and finishing the regular season,” head coach Joe Kirt said after the match. “This has been a trying month for us in terms of scoring goals and we got the three today, obviously that was the difference. We did a really great job competing, that’s what it had to be against this team and we scored some good goals.”
Tennessee’s three-goal burst came at the tail end of a stretch in which the Lady Vols scored just two goals over the previous seven matches. Emerson Moore was the catalyst for Tennessee against the Sooners, striking twice in the first half to give Tennessee a 2-0 halftime advantage.
The freshman opened the scoring in the seventh minute with a quality left-footed finish from the edge of the penalty box for her first collegiate goal. Moore’s second goal of the day came in the 43rd minute, another excellent left-footed strike into the bottom corner after a quality first touch to bring down a long ball from Milee Zych, who was credited with an assist on the play.
“I thought she was gritty and tough getting on first and second balls,” Kirt said of Moore. “I think all the midfielders did a really good job of finding space, especially in the first half. They kept the ball on our end for long stretches.”
Facing a 2-0 deficit, Oklahoma opened the second half with increased attacking intent. After multiple close calls, the Sooners found their first goal in the 58th minute, a close header from a corner kick. At 2-1, a few nervy moments ensued for Tennessee.
Those nerves were settled in the 68th minute as Cora Fry found the back of the net for her first collegiate goal to re-establish a two-goal lead for Tennessee. Fry crashed the back post on a cross from Ines Derrien, an effort rewarded with a simple finish to make the scoreline 3-1. Derrien earned her fourth assist of the season on the play, improving upon her team-high tally.
The Lady Vol defense held solid over the final 20 minutes to secure the 3-1 victory in the regular season finale. Goalkeeper Cayden Norris was instrumental in locking down a potent Oklahoma offense, posting four saves in the match.
After narrowly missing out on an SEC Tournament berth, Tennessee will wait until the NCAA Tournament Selection Show, set for Monday, Nov. 16, to see if the season will continue.
