Jaida Thomas leads Lady Vols past Appalachian State

Recapping Lady Vols’ 7-0 soccer win over Appalachian State.

Redshirt freshman forward Jaida Thomas continues to score goals in bunches for the University of Tennessee women’s soccer team this spring.

Thomas, who scored three goals during the fall portion of the campaign, opened UT’s spring season with a hat trick in the Lady Vols’ victory over Gardner-Webb last week.

She added two more markers and an assist, leading Tennessee to a 7-0 victory over Appalachian State Saturday night at Ted Mackorell Soccer Complex in Boone, North Carolina.

Thomas opened UT’s scoring in the 14th minute and extended an advantage to 2-0 during the 20th minute.

Mackenzie George added a third tally for the Lady Vols, who outshot Appalachian State 22-4 in the match.

An own goal my the Mountaineers (5-10-1) gave Tennessee the 4-0 advantage it enjoyed at halftime.

The Lady Vols (6-4-1) added three more markers after the break as Louisa Essuman, Lawson Renie and Abbey Burdette all scored.

Lindsey Romig made three saves en route to posting a clean sheet.

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Lady Vols’ Jaida Thomas receives honor

Jaida Thomas honored by soccer publication after hat trick against Gardner-Webb.

University of Tennessee soccer player Jaida Thomas has been honored by TopDrawerSoccer.com.

Thomas, a redshirt freshman and forward for the Lady Vols, earned a spot on the Southern California publication’s Women’s Team of the Week.

Thomas, a native of Irving, Texas, recorded a hat trick in the Big Orange’s 6-0 victory over Gardner-Webb on Sunday at Regal Soccer Stadium.

The match opened Tennessee’s spring portion of the soccer schedule and was the first-ever meeting on the pitch between UT and the Runnin’ Bulldogs.

Thomas scored her three goals in a 15-minute span for the Lady Vols.

She is now second among Southeastern Conference goal scorers with six markers during the 2020-21 campaign. UT is 5-4-1 this season.

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