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“GUT-PUNCH” LOSS TO OKLAHOMA WON’T DEFINE TENNESSEE SOFTBALL—LADY VOLS READY TO FIGHT BACK IN WCWS
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — The final moments were devastating. A walk-off single in extra innings. A “gut-punch,” as Tennessee head coach Karen Weekly described it. The Lady Vols had Oklahoma—the three-time defending national champions—on the ropes. But in the blink of an eye, the game was over, and Tennessee found itself walking off the field in stunned silence.
A 1-0 loss in the opening round of the Women’s College World Series isn’t the end of the road. But it certainly isn’t how Tennessee scripted this chapter. Still, if there’s one thing this program has proven time and again—it’s that they don’t fold under pressure. The Lady Vols have played their best softball with their backs against the wall. And they’ll have to do it again.
The Heartbreak in Oklahoma City
It was a classic pitcher’s duel between two national powerhouses. Tennessee ace Payton Gottshall was electric in the circle, throwing six shutout innings and scattering just three hits before exiting with the game still scoreless. On the other side, Oklahoma’s Kelly Maxwell was just as dominant, keeping Tennessee’s hitters off balance throughout.
In the eighth inning, with the international tiebreaker rule placing a runner on second base, Oklahoma’s Jayda Coleman stepped to the plate and delivered the fatal blow—a walk-off single that dashed Tennessee’s hopes of an opening-round win and sent the Sooners’ crowd into a frenzy.
“It’s a gut-punch, no question,” Weekly said in the postgame press conference. “You have to credit Oklahoma. That’s a championship-caliber team that finds a way. But I love our fight, and I know we’ll respond.”
This Isn’t New Territory
This isn’t the first time Tennessee has faced adversity in Oklahoma City. The Lady Vols are no strangers to pressure-packed, season-on-the-line scenarios. In 2023, they dropped their WCWS opener to Alabama before rattling off two straight elimination game victories, pushing deep into the bracket. In 2013, they lost early but fought all the way to the national championship series.
And this year, the path back won’t be easy—but it’s familiar.
Tennessee will now shift into elimination mode, where every pitch could be their last. Their next game will be a must-win against Florida or Stanford, depending on how the bracket unfolds. One more loss, and the season ends. But if history is any indication, this team plays its sharpest, most aggressive softball when the margin for error is razor-thin.
“We’ve got a group of fighters,” said senior infielder McKenna Gibson. “We’ve been in tough spots all season. This doesn’t shake us. If anything, it fuels us.”
Defense and Grit Still Define the Lady Vols
Even in defeat, Tennessee flashed the elements that got them to Oklahoma City in the first place: lockdown pitching, solid defense, and unrelenting grit. Gottshall’s performance against one of the most feared lineups in the country was a masterclass in poise. Oklahoma entered the game leading the nation in home runs and slugging percentage—but they were held scoreless until extras.
Defensively, the Lady Vols were sharp. Clutch double plays and smart decisions on the base paths kept the game tight and tense. But what haunted Tennessee was the inability to find that one big hit.
The Lady Vols left runners in scoring position multiple times, including a critical opportunity in the sixth when they had runners at the corners with just one out. A strikeout and a groundout ended the threat. And when they couldn’t capitalize, Oklahoma did.
“That’s softball,” Weekly said. “You get a few chances, and if you don’t take them, it can cost you. But we’re not going to dwell on missed opportunities. We’re focused on what’s next.”
The Road Ahead
The message in the Tennessee locker room after the game wasn’t about frustration—it was about response. The players didn’t sulk. They regrouped.
And now, they prepare for an elimination game with everything on the line. The goal is still the same: survive and advance. And if they can string together wins, the Lady Vols could force their way back into the WCWS semifinals.
This is a team that battled through the brutal SEC, earned a Top-5 national seed, and stormed through Regionals and Super Regionals. They’re not here by accident. And they’re not going home quietly.
Weekly knows what it takes to win in Oklahoma City. She’s guided Tennessee to the WCWS seven times. She’s seen the heartbreak and the triumph. And she believes this year’s squad has what it takes to bounce back.
“This is a mentally tough group,” she said. “We talk all the time about responding, about being the tougher team. We’ll find out what we’re made of now.”
The Legacy in the Making
No matter how the next game plays out, the 2024 Lady Vols have already added another chapter to a proud tradition. They’re part of a legacy that continues to build momentum on the national stage. Their style of play—gritty, team-first, relentless—has become their trademark. And it’s won them respect across the sport.
But make no mistake: they came to Oklahoma City to win it all. And while the path just got harder, the dream is still alive.
“It hurts right now,” Gibson said, “but we’ve got more softball to play. And we’re not done yet.”
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