Final Score: Tennessee 3, Lipscomb 0
Location: Knoxville, Tenn. (Regal Soccer Stadium)
Records: Lipscomb 15-5-1 (7-2 ASUN), Tennessee 19-2 (8-0 SEC)
 
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Lipscomb battled hard against the sixth-ranked Volunteers in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, but the high-powered attack of Tennessee proved too difficult to overcome for the Bisons as they fell by a score of 3-0 in Knoxville on Friday night.
 
Lipscomb was blitzed with early pressure as Tennessee rattled off shots towards the Bison net. CJ Graham rose to the occasion as she made five saves in the first half. The Bisons best chance came when Cami Rogers rifled a shot destined for the bottom corner of goal but was gobbled up by the Tennessee goalkeeper Lindsey Romig.
 
Tennessee's Abbey Burdette found the opening goal in the 28^th minute of play as she fired her shot past Graham to end a five-game shutout streak. At the end of the first half the Bisons trailed by a score of 1-0 while losing the shot battle 13-5. The Vols had also commanded the ball for 60-percent of the first 45 minutes.

"I think in the first half, we were a little frazzled. In the locker room and going into the second half, we were like, 'okay, it's 1-0. We can play with them, and we can do this.' I think we think we saw that in the second half. Two unfortunate goals happened, but that's okay, that's just part of the game. But, I'm thankful to do it with this team." said captain Cami Rogers on the way her team played. 

As Rogers alluded to, the Bisons began to earn their way back into the possession battle in the second half as the they created chances that just lacked the finishing touches in the final third. In the 71^st minute it looked as if Kammy McGee was in on goal for the Bisons with a chance to equalize but was flagged offside by the line judge on the far side of the field. 
 
Just minutes later, Tennessee's Taylor Huff kept a ball in on the Lipscomb byline and rifled a ball in to the six-yard box where Ellis was there to tap it home. Just minutes later Huff scored another goal to put the margin at three and seal the game's result.

"I'm certainly proud of our team for the way we competed. I told (coach) Pensky at the end, 'when I saw the draw, we knew it was going to be tough.' I've watched Tennessee play an awful lot of times this year and we knew we're going to have our hands full, but thankfully he returned the compliment. He was like, 'yeah, we were petrified of you guys and you guys do some things really, really well and you're dangerous'. So, to get a compliment from him and for him to gloat on our program in the way did, it made me feel good as a head coach. But, as far as the game goes, slow start by the Bison. I think the moment kind of caught us a little bit and then we kind of settled into the game. They were the better team the first half, without a doubt. I thought the beginning of the second half we looked really good. So, for 20 minutes we were more dangerous than we had been the whole first half. Had a little bit of momentum and then it plays the way soccer is sometimes. They score a good goal and I think there's a little miscommunication between the center back and the goalkeeper. In that ultimately, I think took the wind out of the sails. They scored another one pretty shortly after and, unfortunately, that was all she wrote. Just so proud of this team, and how they battled to the end. You talk about huge hearts, huge character. We've got it in spades. I'm just really, really proud of these guys, and to have captains that lead your team with integrity the way these two do, for head coach, it's fantastic. We're a faith-based school. I know you guys aren't, but the platform we play for is for higher purpose. I feel like these kids really glorify God in their effort using the talents and abilities that they've been given. And for me, again, I'm so proud of them." said head coach Kevin O'Brien. 

When asked about the environment of the game and playing against a power-five opponent in the postseason, Shelby Craft spoke on her thankfulness for the opportunity to play on that stage. 

"I think it's awesome, especially because he mentioned we are a faith-based institution. So, we perform for something so much bigger than ourselves. So, looking up into the stands and seeing how many people were up there. It's really cool to be able to reflect back that a small, faith-based school is standing on a field and our competitive (spirit) is going to make people question why they want to work so hard and how they compete for each other. I think it's just super awesome that we got the opportunity to play in front of a crowd that large and to have the support that we did. It just speaks measures about the Lipscomb community and the sport back home." said Craft. 

 
QUICK FACTS:
 

• Lipscomb's Emanuela Schurch led the team with three shots in the match
• CJ Graham made five saves for the Bisons
• Tennessee outshot Lipscomb by a margin of 16-11
• Lipscomb was flagged offside on four occasions
• The Bisons outshot the Volunteers by a margin of 6-3

 
NOTABLE:
 

• The Bisons fall to the second-highest ranked team they have ever met in Division I competition
• Lipscomb ends the season with a 2-2 overall record against power-five opposition
• It is the first time Lipscomb has conceded three goals in a 21-game season