CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. --- The Chattanooga women's soccer team remains on the road this week for a non-conference matchup in Nashville against Belmont.
 
GAME DAY INFORMATION
Thursday, August 20
Time: 6:00 p.m. EDT
Site: Nashville, Tenn.
Links for live stats and video streaming are available online at GoMocs.com on the women's soccer schedule page.
 
CHATTANOOGA vs. BELMONT
The Mocs trail the series 2-6-1 dating back to 1997. In Nashville, the Bruins lead it 4-0-1. Belmont won the first six meetings including the reboot of the series in 2021. That match went to double overtime. However, the Mocs won in 2023 and again in 2025 while the pair tied in 2024 on the road.
 
LAST TIME THEY MET
The Mocs scored two goals in each half, leading to a 4-2 victory. Reese Wilson headed in the first goal on a free kick from Zoey Mize in the 21st minute. Belmont tied it up less than four minutes later, but it wouldn't take two minutes to retake the lead. Emma Reeves came into the game and tallied her first collegiate goal, picking up a rebounded shot off the keeper and finding the back of the net. Belmont knotted the match again in the 62nd minute, but Paige Thomas and Clarissa Salinas fired off back-to-back goals with less than 15 minutes remaining to take a commanding lead. Thomas, with her sixth goal of the season, scored the game winner in the 74th minute and Salinas all but put it away in the 76th. Caroline Ekern, on the hunt for the program record for wins, picked up her 29th - one behind Stacey Matthiessen ('07) while making one save. UTC outshot Belmont 24-4 with 14 shots on goal.
 
ABOUT CHATTANOOGA (1-0-1)
The Mocs shutout Winthrop in their last outing after a last minute PK tied the season opener against UT Martin. Quinn Johnson, SoCon Preseason All-Conference, leads the team with two goals including the game winner against the Eagles. Landry Olson and Molly Johnson each picked up their first goal as a Mocs and Ayden Wood picked up the second of her career. Caroline Ekern returned to the net for her fifth season and improved upon her program record for wins (34) and shutouts (22).
 
ABOUT BELMONT (0-1-1)
The Bruins season starts with three straight Southern Conference foes. The opener ended in a scoreless draw at Tennessee Tech before falling to Samford 0-2 in Birmingham. Laken Whittington leads the team with five shots while Meredith Koltz has four shots, two on goal. Greta Genie played both matches between the pipes and has 11 saves in 25 shots faced.
 
MOCS NEWS AND NOTES
MOCS TALLY FIVE GOALS AT WINTHROP
The Mocs picked up five goals against Winthrop, tied for eighth-most in a single game for UTC. Four goals were scored by four different players while the fifth was an OWN goal.
 
EKERN PROGRAM MARKS GROW
Keeper Caroline Ekern was awarded a fifth year due to a judicial ruling and is taking full advantage by growing her numbers in the Mocs record book. Ekern leads UTC in wins and shutouts and added one to each column in the Mocs 5-0 win over Winthrop. She has 34 wins and 22 clean sheets.
 
JOHNSON PICKS UP GAME WINNER
Quinn Johnson scored the Mocs first goal at Winthrop in the 16th minute. That turned out to be the game winner. It is the third game winning goal of her career.
 
JOHNSON SCORES IN OPENING DRAW
Quinn Johnson scored the Mocs first goal of the season on a free kick from 30 yards out in the 77th minute against UT Martin. However, the Skyhawks converted on a PK in the final minute to tie the match.
 
CAROLINE EKERN EARNS EXTRA YEAR
As of July 31 2026, a federal court has granted a class-wide preliminary injunction requiring the NCAA to allow 2021-22 high school graduates (Class of 2022) a fifth year of eligibility for the 2026-27 season if they exhausted their four seasons of eligibility this past spring. The NCAA is appealing this ruling.
 
Due to this ruling, keeper Caroline Ekern was granted a fifth year of eligibility and rejoined her teammates on the pitch. She is the Mocs winningest keeper and the all-time leader for UTC in clean sheets.
 
JOHNSON NAMED TO PRESEASON TEAM
Sophomore Quinn Johnson was named to the Southern Conference Coaches Preseason All-Conference Team. She was the 2025 SoCon Freshman of the Year and was third on the team in scoring. She returns as the Mocs top scorer.
 
MOCS PICKED TO FINISH FIFTH
The Mocs were picked to finish fifth in the SoCon preseason coaches poll by a one-point margin behind Western Carolina and one point ahead of Mercer. UTC placed fourth in 2025.
 
ZOEY MIZE JOINS STAFF AS ASSISTANT
Zoey Mize, a 2026 graduate of UTC, joins the Mocs coaching staff as an assistant coach. She will work with head coach Gavin McKinney and assistant coach Josie Rix with the field players and day-to-day development of the squad. Mize is the Mocs all-time leader for assists as a four-year starter.
  
ALUMNI GAME DAY RESCHEDULED
The Alumni Game Day is moved to September 20. All alumni are encouraged to register, bring their families and enjoy a day of soccer and memories at Finley Stadium. The registration link is available on the schedule page for the Sept. 20 game.