The Skyhawk soccer team used a commanding 5-0 victory at Lipscomb University on Friday to close out the 2005 season while five seniors saw their collegiate careers come to an end. The win was UTM’s second road victory and sixth shutout of the season.

Sophomore Jody Kiers used an unassisted goal she slipped passed Lady Bison goalkeeper Bethany Copeland to put UTM on the board 27 minutes into the match.

A mere 20 seconds later junior Sarah Bedell found Kristina Goldstine cutting to the goal, who netted UTM’s second goal. UTM would carry that 2-0 lead into the halftime break.

UTM added a third goal when senior Dani Myrick took a pass from Jessie Metcalf and scored her final goal as a Skyhawk. The goal was 35th of her career.

Senior Katie Jackson broke away from the Lady Bison defenders to score her final collegiate goal at the 80 minute mark of the match, giving the Skyhawks a 4-0 lead.

With the match well in hand, senior defenders Katie Hausauer and Lindsey Tilk along with goalkeeper Megan Dempsey were moved to the offensive front, in hopes they would be able to score a goal in their final game.

Tilk was the only one able to connect when she sent a shot into the top right corner past a diving Lipscomb goalkeeper giving the Skyhawks a 5-0 lead. Hausauer also came very close to a goal but watched her shot carom off the post.

Head coach Nathan Pifer said of the season and senior class that “it is a good end, but we hate that it is over. These seniors are the most talented senior class we’ve had and they’ve worked hard for four years helping raise the level of soccer at UTM. I am going to miss them.”

Despite winning efforts in the final two matches of the season, the Skyhawks were still unable to overcome their midseason road woes which cost them an opportunity to play in this week’s OVC Tournament. UTM finished the season with an overall record of 9-10-0 and 3-6-0 in the OVC play.

Pifer will now turn his attention to recruiting as he looks to build on the success this senior class helped bring to UTM.

Seniors Dani Myrick and Katie Jackson both finish their careers as new leaders in the Skyhawk soccer all time record books. Myrick leaves as the all time leader in shots with 184 and second in goals scored with 35. Jackson finishes first all time in goals scored with 37 and second all time in shots with 178.