Ally Brown

Ally Brown

 Photo: Courtesy of Tennessee athletics

Ally Brown feels like it’s about time Tennessee soccer got some recognition.

Four former Williamson County soccer players have helped Tennessee reach unprecedented heights.

Ravenwood alums Brown and Sarah Kate Rath and ex-Battle Ground Academy stars Keaton Mitchell and Kennedy Price are each playing important roles for the Lady Volunteers (6-1-1), who earned the program’s first No. 1 ranking in the United Soccer Coaches Poll last week.

“It’s kind of a surreal experience because I feel like we have never really been ranked high, and I feel like a lot of times we’re underestimated, so I feel like it’s really kind of rewarding to finally get some credit,” Brown says. “But also, even though we got the credit, it doesn’t mean we’ve done anything yet. It kind of all matters at the end of the season, so we’re just trying to continue to focus on the process and stay present.”

Tennessee opened its season a month ago with a 2-0 upset of defending national champion North Carolina, ranked No. 1 at the time. The Tar Heels (7-2) have won a record 23 national championships.

“When you play a No. 1 team, the energy in the locker room before is super hyped and everyone is ready to go, and so I feel like that fired us up and we ended up winning,” says Brown, a left centerback who was a third-team All-Southeastern Conference selection last season.

The Lady Volunteers avenged a 3-0 loss to North Carolina in 2022.

“Obviously, so much respect for that program, and getting beat 3-0 my freshman year, I always wanted a rematch and wanted to really show what Tennessee soccer was about. ...I’m happy we got to do that and put ourselves on the map,” says Price, a senior right centerback.

Mitchell, a junior midfielder, said the North Carolina win in Knoxville was her favorite game ever.

“The crowd was amazing; they were so loud,” says Mitchell, a first-year starter. “My teammates, we just played so freely. It was the best day; it was so fun.”

The win and the top ranking have generated new interest in the program.

“Everyone is just kind of raving about the Tennessee soccer team right now, which is really, really cool,” says Rath, a senior forward and defender. “Everywhere we go, people are like, ‘Are you guys on the soccer team? Oh, my gosh, you guys have done so well.’”

Shae O’Rourke scored both of Tennessee’s goals in the second half and Rath assisted on the second score with a low cross in the 75th minute.

“I kind of put a little bit of backspin on the ball and spun it between the center backs and goalkeeper,” says Rath, a senior who has started twice. 

Rath said the Lady Vols were on a high for a week after the upset win.

“I can’t believe we did that,” Rath says of the team vibe. “Everyone was crawling off the field at the end. We were so exhausted because we just gave it our all.”

The Lady Vols tied North Carolina during a spring exhibition match in Chapel Hill, N.C.

Tennessee shut out its first seven opponents with its 4-3-3 defense, outscoring them 19-0.

“We’re willing to put our bodies on the line and get blocks and cover one another,” says Brown, a senior co-captain. “So, I feel like that bond we’ve built has enabled us to not get scored on. I feel like we’ve got good leadership and voices from the back that have allowed us to be so successful.”

Tennessee boasts a veteran back line with three seniors and one sophomore.

“We have a lot of experience,’” says Price, who was second on the team in minutes (1,568) last year. “I think having seniors on the back line and that natural leadership is huge for running a defense. We’re trying new things tactically and they’ve been executed really well.”

Cayden Norris and Ally Zazzara have been solid in goal.

“Our press has been amazing, so when teams do get in behind us, it’s not very often,” Mitchell says. “So, it really starts with our front three keeping the ball off the front half of the field.”

Tennessee went 6-0-1 in its first seven games before suffering its first loss, 3-2, at Mississippi State in its SEC opener Friday. MSU’s Zoe Main became the first player to score on UT in the 11th minute.

Tennessee rallied to take a 2-1 lead in the second half, but MSU (6-1) scored two late goals for the win, including the game-winner by Ally Perry in the 89th minute.

“A lot of people have said, not that it’s good that we lost, but we kind of needed it,” Brown says. “We needed to get scored on because there was pressure that we were not scored on and hadn’t lost yet. Honestly, even though it’s a setback, it’s something we needed to refocus and get some targets off our backs.”

Tennessee fell to fifth in Tuesday’s rankings and will try to rebound at Missouri (4-3-1, 1-0 SEC) on Thursday night.

“The SEC is a very physical conference,” Mitchell says. “Every week it’s gonna be a challenge.”

Brown played her senior year at Ravenwood after transferring from Wheaton North High School in Illinois. A third-year starter at Tennessee, she led the team in minutes played (1,800) last season. She has one goal and three assists so far this year.

Mitchell was a prolific scorer at BGA with 92 goals, 85 assists and a school-record 279 points, but her role is different at UT.

“I think in high school I was more of an attacking player, but when I transitioned to college, I kind of found a role in the back part of the field,” says Mitchell, who has one goal and one assist this year. “I’m a holding mid[fielder], so my job is more defensive and getting the ball and connecting passes for my teammates so they can go forward.”

Mitchell scored a career-high five goals against Goodpasture in a 2020 region semifinal game.

“Her scoring ability came from putting herself at the right place at the right time,” BGA coach Jan Morrissey says. “She read the game so well.”

Mitchell comes from a soccer family. Her father, Rob, played at BGA and coached there for 20-plus years, winning multiple state titles. Her brother, Connor, also played at BGA. As did her aunts, Stacy Lamb and Jamie Lamb McDougall and mom, Tracy.

“Playing at BGA was the most special thing ever,” says Mitchell, who played on two state champion teams and two state runners-up.

Rath, who has two assists this season, transferred from Cincinnati to UT after her sophomore season in 2023.

“Tennessee was always my dream school, and in high school, I wasn’t initially recruited here,” Rath says. “I talked to the coaches and they were, like, ‘You’re just not ready yet.’ I got in the transfer portal, and coach Joe (Kirt) called me and he was, like, ‘We’ve been watching you play, you’ve grown a lot and we’ve been hoping you were going to get in the portal, and we want you to come on home.’”

Rath played on two state champion teams during her sophomore and junior years at Ravenwood, where she had 29 career goals and 22 assists.

She was also the quarterback of the first flag football state champion during her senior season, and Brown was a safety and wide receiver.

Price played for two state champion teams and one state runner-up at BGA.

She said it’s heartwarming to have three UT teammates from Williamson County.

“It makes me super happy that I can look back to even my club days and know that I’ve been at these girls’ side on the field for so long,” Price says. “It’s so amazing having all these people that I grew up with, all watching our journeys, and they led us here to UT.”