CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – Eastern Kentucky soccer scored twice in the opening 20 minutes, deflating Chattanooga in-route to a 2-1 victory on the road at the UTC Sports Complex on Sunday afternoon.
 
With the win, EKU moves to 1-1-0 on the season, picks up their first win against the Mocs since 2016, and the first win in Chattanooga since 2008.
 
"To win on a Sunday, on the road, in a difficult environment is a testament to our fight and focus on the day," said head coach Matt Cosinuke. "We will take a lot of positive and growth centric lessons from today and work through them this week in training. All our focus now is on next Sunday's quality opponent and our response to last season."
 
EKU notched the first goal of the match in the 12^th minute, senior Myla Sharpless scored her second goal in as many matches, striking a ball from the left side of the field from 25 yards away to give the Colonels the 1-0 advantage.
 
Minutes later, sophomore Lucy Ream scored her first goal of the season, sneaking a ball past the keeper on the upper left side from 20 yards out to put EKU up two.
 
From the 20-minute mark to halftime, the highlight would shift to EKU keeper Lauren Seedlock, the Simpsonville, S.C. native faced seven shots, saving five, to keep the Colonels unblemished in the first half.
 
Despite the 2-0 EKU lead heading into the break, Chattanooga lead in shots (7-5), SOG (5-4), and possession (52 percent).
 
The Colonels continued their press after halftime, Sharpless attempted her fourth shot on frame of the season (46'), this time saved by UTC backup keeper Caroline Ekern.
 
Chattanooga would get on the board in the 52^nd minute, as Grace Klippenstein slipped a ball two yards into the EKU box that found the foot of Maggie Shaw for her first of the season.
 
Freshman Kaitlyn Rowlett made her first career start as a Colonel in Sunday's match, in the 58^th minute she attempted her first shot on frame, that was saved by Chattanooga.
 
EKU continued their offensive press well into the final 20 minutes of action, in that span Celia Lopez, Gretta Gunn, and Sharpless combined for five shots and kept UTC's Ekern on her toes, replacing starting keeper Abbey Saddler.
 
In the 89^th minute, Seedlock saved the Mocs equalizing goal, as UTC's Shelby Hash fired off a shot from the right corner of the EKU box, falling into the hands of EKU's keeper to end the match and send the Colonels home with the win. 

Lopez ended the final tally as the team leader in shots (4), Sharpless and Gunn combined for three shots each.
 
Eastern Kentucky will return to Richmond and begin preparation for another tough road match against Kentucky on Sunday, Aug. 28 at 1:00 p.m. ET. Sunday's match can be viewed on SEC Network+.