SUNDAY'S SCORES
Francis Marion 3, @Eastern Kentucky 0
@Murray State 3, Eastern Illinois 1
@Tennessee Tech 2, Austin Peay 0
@UT Martin 2, Southeast Missouri 1
@SIU Edwardsville 1, Drake 0
FRANCIS MARION 3, EASTERN KENTUCKY 0
RICHMOND, Ky. - The Eastern Kentucky University women's soccer team fell to non-conference opponent Francis Marion Sunday afternoon at EKU Soccer Field, 3-0. The Patriots scored two goals in the first 10 minutes of the game and then added an insurance goal midway through the second half to secure the victory.
The Colonels (4-8-2, 1-1-2 OVC) were outshot on the day, 11-5.
FMU's Rebecca Nelson headed in the Patriots' first goal of the game off an assist from Angela Salem in just the fifth minute.
Five minutes later, after a shot deflected off the crossbar, Amanda Hall headed in another shot to put the Patriots up, 2-0.
In the 59th minute, Hall ended FMU's scoring with her second goal of the day, this time taking a pass from Kayla Denmyer, dribbling past an EKU defender and firing a shot past EKU keeper Emma Werner to make it 3-0.
Werner, who started in the stead of injured keeper Stephanie Lynch, made three saves on the day before being replaced by junior Ashley Green. Green, seeing her first career action in goal, played the final 21 minutes and did not allow a goal.
Freshman Chelsea Walter led EKU with two shots on the day, one of which was on goal.
MURRAY STATE 3, EASTERN ILLINOIS 1
MURRAY, Ky. - The Murray State Women's Soccer team improved to 5-6-1 overall and 3-1 in the OVC as they returned home and defeated Eastern Illinois, 3-1, at Cutchin Field today.
The Racers were able to convert two of their three first half corner kicks as Sophie Hargreaves put MSU on the board in the 17th minute as Katie Wilson assisted on the goal as she lofted the corner to the top of the box. Just two minutes later MSU converted their second corner kick of the half. Veronika Pribyslavska gathered in the corner and quickly found Nicole Evans in front of the box as she found the back of the net to put MSU ahead, 2-0.
The Racers added to their lead in the 27th minute as Hargreaves converted a penalty kick to give MSU a 3-0 lead as they headed into halftime.
MSU continued to control the match as they began the second half as they outshot the Panthers, 4-1, in the first 15 minutes of the half. A breakdown in communication led to a penalty kick for the Panthers in the 80th minute. Laura Radolfi convereted on the kick and denied the Racers their first shutout of the season.
Katie Wilson improved to 5-3-1 in net as she aloud one goals and tallied four save.
MSU outshot the Panthers 17-7.
TENNESSEE TECH 2, AUSTIN PEAY 0
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - Tennessee Tech senior Brittany Rogers played in her final regular season home game, and the Tennessee Tech soccer team sent her out with a bang, shutting out Austin Peay in a 2-0 victory over the Govs in Ohio Valley Conference action Sunday afternoon.
Tech got on the board in the first half when freshman Kerri Reid beat APSU goalkeeper Carley Newman in front of the net. Kris Cambron and Jen Hoffman assisted the goal with a couple of passes that set up the scoring opportunity.
In the second half it was another freshman doing the scoring for Tech. This time it was Andrea Meloff who put a loose ball behind Newman off of a deep free kick. It was Meloff's team-leading fifth goal of the season.
Tech goalkeeper Kaitlyn Thacker made five saves, and posted her second shutout of the season, and fourth of her career.
Austin Peay out-shot Tech 8-7, and both teams finished with five shots-on-goal.
UT MARTIN 2, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 1
MARTIN, Tenn. - A goal off a free kick from junior defender Stephanie Nilica from around 35 yards out in the 82nd minute capped off an outstanding offensive effort by The University of Tennessee at Martin in its 2-1 win today over Southeast Missouri. With the victory, the Skyhawks improve to 6-5-0, with a 3-1 Ohio Valley Conference record.
Today's win also was the third straight victory for UT Martin and fourth win in its last five tries. The 2-1 decision also kept the Skyhawks at a perfect 5-0 clip at home in 2009.
Nilica's goal was the last shot attempt of the day for the Skyhawks, as they out-shot Southeast Missouri by a 15-4 margin, including an 11-1 advantage in the second half.
Sophomore Brooke Robertson scored a goal in her third consecutive match today, getting the Skyhawks on the scoreboard early in the first half. Robertson received a cross from Melissa Govea from the left side and released a quick shot from about 20 yards out that landed past the reach of Southeast Missouri goalkeeper Kristen Starkey at the 6:17 mark.
Southeast Missouri quickly answered with a goal of its own, as Ashley Runion took a long pass from Courtney Luehmann on a one-on-one situation against UT Martin goalkeeper Aubrey Buehler. Runion waited until Buehler was slightly drawn forward before tapping a shot that found the back left of the net in the 19th minute.
UT Martin headed into halftime with a 4-3 shot advantage, but the offense came out determined by consistently attacking the goal in the match's last 45 minutes. Three different Skyhawks each put a shot on goal in the first seven minutes of the half, setting the tone for UT Martin.
Senior Sophie Cox then attempted three shots of her own over the next five minutes, making Starkey work for every save.
The Skyhawks' 11th shot of the half was the game-winner, as a Southeast Missouri foul set up a Skyhawk free kick from the right side. Nilica unleashed a high, forceful kick from around 35 yards out that was at the perfect height to sneak past Starkey, giving Nilica her second goal in 2009.
Southeast Missouri had a chance to tie the match with just 11 seconds left when Ali Bauer sent a shot from straight on towards the goal, but Buehler was there for the clutch save, ensuring the win for UT Martin.
SIU EDWARDSVILLE 1, DRAKE 0
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - Bolstered by a solid group of women's soccer alumni cheering them on, the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Cougars earned a 1-0 homecoming victory over Drake Sunday at Korte Stadium.
The win was SIUE's first of the year. The Cougars improved to 1-8-1 while Drake evened its record at 6-6-3.
Kristen Dailey scored her first career goal from three yards out, punching past Drake goalkeeper Kourtney Arnold. Chelsey Johnston set the play up on a hard shot that was saved by Arnold and the pounced upon by Dailey.
SIUE's offense outshot Drake 17-13, including four shots from Correen Roark and three more from Kiara Akpore. The Cougars forced Drake's Arnold to grab nine saves.
SIUE goalkeeper Claire Lovercheck posted her first shutout of the season. She collected seven saves, including a handful of key saves in the second half.