FRIDAY'S SCORES
Eastern Kentucky 3, @Eastern Illinois 0
Jacksonville State 2, @UT Martin 0
@Southeast Missouri 1, Belmont 1
EASTERN KENTUCKY 3, EASTERN ILLINOIS 0
CHARLESTON, Ill. - The Eastern Kentucky University soccer team stayed in the thick of OVC Tournament contention with a convincing 3-0 road win over Eastern Illinois on Friday afternoon at Lakeside Field.
It is the second consecutive shutout for EKU (3-4-0 OVC). The surging Colonels blanked UT Martin, 2-0, at home last Sunday and have now surrendered only one goal in their last 272 minutes of play.
Senior Katie Bright got EKU on the board in the 40th minute when she converted a penalty kick for her first goal of the season.
The Colonels did not let up in the second half. In the 54th minute, junior Cassie Smith chipped in a cross from freshman Monica Rios for her second goal of the year. It was Rios’ first career assist.
EKU sealed the victory in the 78th minute when freshman Bailly Bounds headed in a cross from senior Merrissa Vault. It was Bounds’ second score and Vault’s first assist of the season.
The Colonels dominated the match in every aspect, outshooting the host Panthers, 16-5, while attempting nine corner kicks to the Panthers’ one.
Sophomore Logan Harvey paced EKU with three shots in the game, all three of which were on goal.
Sophomore Anna Hall and senior Samm Melton teamed up in goal to earn the clean sheet. Hall started the game and played 82 minutes, making one save. Melton played the final eight minutes in goal.
A total of 23 Colonels saw the field in the lopsided victory.
JACKSONVILLE STATE 2, UT MARTIN 0
MARTIN, Tenn.- For the third time on the road in the Ohio Valley Conference, the Jacksonville State soccer team secured a shutout with a 2-0 win over UT Martin on Friday night at Skyhawk Field.
The Gamecocks inched closer to securing one of the six sports in the 2015 OVC Soccer Championship and kept in line for one of the hosting bids for the opening round with the win on UTM's pitch for the first time since 2004. JSU improved to 7-7-1 overall and 4-2-1 in OVC play, while the Skyhawks dropped to 4-9 on the season and 2-3 against conference foes. Two weekends ago JSU blanked SIU Edwardsville and Eastern Illinois respectively and won for the third straight Friday night with the win over UTM.
JSU registered the eventual game-winner in the 32nd minute as junior Carsen Taylor sent a high volley towards the left post and just below the crossbar for her first goal of the season and fourth of her career. The Gamecocks had a balanced attack offensively throughout the contest as they collected six of their 11 total shots in the opening 45 minutes.
Looking to equalize in the second half, UTM had nine shots in the second half but could not get one past JSU's stingy defense and the solid work of goalkeeper Caroline Robinson. Robinson, who secured her seventh win of the season and her fourth clean sheet of the season, made a great stop off of a free kick that was taken by UTM's goalkeeper, Mackenzie Crawford with just four minutes remaining on the clock. After making the stop, Robinson quickly sent the ball in play to press the Skyhawks. The Gamecocks were able to get behind the UTM defense as senior Kristen Hoo won a 1-v-1 battle to add the insurance goal. It was Hoo's second goal of the season and third in her career. Hoo finished with a pair of shots on goal. Junior Nicola Dominikovich and senior Katt Dowd also had a pair of scoring chances.
UTM's Maggie Burkett turned in a match-high six shots in the setback.
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 1, BELMONT 1
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - For a second consecutive contest, the Belmont women's soccer team (3-10-2, 2-4-1 OVC) was forced to go into double overtime before a match decision was made. The Bruins pushed Southeast Missouri State (7-5-3,2-2-2 OVC) to a 1-1 stalemate after 110 minutes on the pitch.
The Bruins were first to get on the scoreboard in the 68th minute, courtesy of the first career goal by freshman Megan Michela (Carol Stream, Ill.). Belmont attempted to hold on the slim advantage but the Redhawks were able to knot the score six minutes later as Angie Mann scored a goal, forcing the game into extra periods.
Freshman Allie Svoboda (Lisle, Ill.) led the Bruins with four shots, two of which were on goal. Sophomore Belicia Mendiola (McKinney, Texas) and senior Emily Proud (Knoxville, Tenn.) tallied two shots apiece.
Between the posts, junior Stephanie Bukovec (Toronto, Ontario, Canada) went the distance and grabbed four saves on the night, while Kindar Lierz made three saves for Southeast Missouri.
SEMO held the advantage in shots, 14-10, and corner kicks, 3-2.