By Abby Doperak · WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Tennessee split the weekend at the ACCHL SEC Tournament with a win against Ole Miss and a loss to South Carolina. On Saturday,…
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Tennessee split the weekend at the ACCHL SEC Tournament with a win against Ole Miss and a loss to South Carolina.
On Saturday, the Ice Vols faced the Ice Rebs in the semifinals.
The game opened with a scoreless first period that featured no penalties for either team. Despite the lack of action on the ice, Tennessee fans filled the stands, creating a sea of orange and white.
Tennessee controlled much of the second period in the offensive zone. Pressure paid off when Tommy Carroll scored off an assist from Finn DeStefano to give the Ice Vols a 1-0 lead.
The Ice Vols extended their lead in the third period when Mitchell Spranklin scored unassisted to make it 2-0. Midway through the period, Ole Miss’ Mitchell Adams slipped the puck past goalie Patrick Green to cut the deficit to 2-1.
In a low-scoring game with few penalties, Tennessee secured a spot in the championship game.
“We were transitioning really easily into the offensive zone and creating a lot of opportunities for ourselves,” Green said. “We need to continue with that consistency moving forward.”
The celebration continued as Tennessee’s Bryce Cooper was named SEC Defesneman of the Year after the game.
“It’s been a great year so far,” Cooper said. “I’m honored to play with these guys and be with the organization. It’s a group effort with getting pucks deep and keeping things simple, playing for one another.”
In the other semifinal, South Carolina defeated Georgia 5-3 to set up a championship matchup between Tennessee and the Gamecocks.
“We love our South Carolina-Tennessee rivalry,” Green said. “Those games are always fun. It’s a good matchup.”
The championship opened with fast, aggressive play from both teams. Five minutes into the first period, South Carolina’s Brendan Flaherty scored to put the Gamecocks ahead 1-0. Tennessee answered quickly as Carroll netted his second goal of the weekend to tie the game 1-1.
South Carolina scored twice early in the second period on goals from Colin Reid and Carson Stickley. Tennessee’s Tyler Iles responded four minutes into the period to spark a comeback effort, followed by Gamecock Jake Puskar adding another goal to extend the lead to 4-2.
The final period remained scoreless until Kyle Stober found the net with six minutes remaining to bring Tennessee within one. The Ice Vols were unable to complete the comeback, falling 4-3.
Reflecting on the weekend, Tennessee identified areas for improvement as the season continues.
“One thing we definitely need to improve on is cleaner breakouts,” Green said. “We are losing a lot of board battles, which led to some turnovers in the defensive zone.”
Tennessee will travel next weekend to compete in the 2026 ACHA Southeast Regional Tournament in Cincinnati, OH. The 11th ranked Ice Vols will take on the 6th ranked Indiana Hoosiers Saturday, Feb. 21st at 3:30pm ET at the Queen City Sportsplex.