SUNDAY'S SCORES
@Austin Peay 2, UT Martin 2 (2OT)
@SIUE 2, Jacksonville State 0
@Eastern Illinois 0, Tennessee Tech 0 (2OT)
Belmont 4, @Southeast Missouri 2
SIUE 2, JACKSONVILLE STATE 0
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - SIUE women's soccer blanked Jacksonville State 2-0 in a dominate performance Sunday.
The Cougars started off the scoring in the 15th minute when Emily Grahl set up Caroline Hoefert for her third goal of the season. With that assist, Grahl is now seventh all-time for SIUE in career assists with 20.
SIUE had multiple attacks and kept possession of the ball for most of the half. The Cougars took five shots and had five corners in the first half.
The second half was much of the same story, with Cougars holding most of the possession.
The Cougars finally broke through in the 81st minute to put the game away. Becca Jostes controlled a pass inside the box, took multiple dribbles, turned and slotted one away past the keeper.
SIUE outshot JSU 12-3. Hoefert finished with four shots on the day. MacKenzie Litzsinger shot twice, Ashlyn Walter and Peyton Roehnelt both had a shot on goal.
EASTERN ILLINOIS 0, TENNESSEE TECH 0
CHARLESTON, Ill. - Eastern Illinois women’s soccer closed out the home portion of its 2017 schedule playing to a 0-0 draw with Tennessee Tech on Sunday afternoon at Lakeside Field.
EIU is now 5-9-2 overall, 0-6-1 in the OVC. TTU is 6-4-3 overall, 3-1-1 in the OVC.
Both goalkeepers came up with big saves for their teams during crucial moments of the match.
In the first half Karigan Owens fired a good shot on goal for TTU off a free kick that was saved by Sara Teteak in the 12th minute of the match. Dani Shartouny added three additional first half shots on goal for the Golden Eagles. Teteak finished the match with eight saves to post her third shutout this season.
In the second half Sarah DeWolf ran down a long pass to the central part of the field from Haley Tausend and raced towards the TTU goal with a one-v-one situation in the 47th minute. Kari Naerdemann was up the task making the first of her two saves on the day.
In the final overtime period Teteak again came up with a big save in the 106th minute as Katie Shipley hit a shot from inside the right corner of the goal box that Teteak was able to deflect away from the goal.
TTU finished the match with 18 total shots compared to just five by EIU.
AUSTIN PEAY 2, UT MARTIN 2
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - The match was moved up due to weather conditions, but that didn't stop the rain from hounding players during the opening 45 minutes. UT Martin (4-9-3) got off to a quick start, firing off five shots in the first-half. The Austin Peay (7-5-3) defense was busy early, but were able to keep UT Martin from scoring much of the first half.
UT Martin opened the scoring in the 33rd minute on a driven shot from Kaci Mitchell that deflected off the keeper's gloves and into goal. Austin Peay battled in the midfield looking for the equalizer, but the Skyhawks took the lead into halftime.
After the break the Govs were more aggressive offensively winning battles in the midfield and pressing higher up the pitch. Junior Mckenzie Dixon found the back of the net for the Govs in the 56th minute when senior Kirstin Robertson slotted a ball out wide; where Dixon touched the ball into the 18-yard box and calmly put it away in the far corner. Dixon, playing in her second match back from injury, pulled the Govs equal with her season's second goal.
UT Martin again pulled ahead in the 62 minute on a cross by Katelyn Colvin that was headed into the goal by Danae Kaldaridou.
The Govs continued to press high looking for another equalizer. In the 74th minute, the Govs earned a foul just outside the box. The free kick was flicked on by sophomore Renee Semaan and finished by Clarksville's own, freshman Gybson Roth, for her second goal of the season.
The Governors defense was story of the match as the Govs fought off nine corner kicks, with sophomore keeper Mary Parker Powell shining between the pipes; she recorded 13 saves, including a penalty kick save in the 81st minute diving to her left to keep the ball out of the side netting. Powell's save sent the match to overtime.
Overtime was a back-and-forth battle, where both teams had their chances, but neither team found a goal as the match ended in a 2-2 tie.
BELMONT 4, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 2
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Belmont women's soccer exploded for four goals in the second stanza to record its first victory over Southeast Missouri in program history. The Bruins slipped past the Redhawks, 4-2, on Sunday afternoon at Houck Field and improved to 5-2-0 in conference play.
The victory moves BU to 9-4-1 overall, marking the most victories in a single season under the helm of head coach Heather Henson. After failing to find the back of the net in the first 54 minutes of the match, the Bruins netted four in a span of 18 minutes including three of which were contributed by senior forward Belicia Mendiola (McKinney, Texas).
While the Bruins led both squads in shots, 7-3, at the midway point of the match, they struggled to find open looks against the Redhawks defense. Forwards Sydney Cason (Hendersonville, Tenn.) and Mendiola were the only two to fire a shot on goal. Mendiola's shot posed the biggest threat of the half, forcing Kindra Lierz to make a diving save and nearly tap the ball away from the goal.
On the other end, Belmont's defense only allowed SEMO to find the frame one time on a shot by Esmie Gonzales from 22 yards out. Sophomore keeper Lily Herman (Springboro, Ohio) blocked the shot before it could find the back of the net. Aside from Gonzales' take the Bruins rarely allowed the Redhawks to make their way into BU territory and intercepted passes when they would break through. Junior Sarah Bossung (Nashville, Tenn.) halted a SEMO forward who was making a run, the veteran defender swiped the ball and cleared it to ensure the match remain scoreless at the half.
The Redhawks looked to strike in the opening moments of the second stanza as they put together a set piece that allowed Hannah Compernolle to send a laser at the goal. Herman had another a great read and made a diving save to keep SEMO from getting the advantage.
Belmont ended the stalemate in the 54th minute when Mendiola delivered the ball to Cason 16 yards out. With just one touch of the ball the Hendersonville, Tenn. product found a crevice that Lierz couldn't cover and gave the Bruins the lead, 1-0.
Both squads' offense woke up in the ensuing 20 minutes as they collectively combined for five additional goals. Belmont jetted out to a quick 3-0 advantage after Mendiola and freshman Julie Garst (Franklin, Tenn.) each scored before SEMO would counter back with a tally of their own. However, BU wasn't satisfied with a two-goal lead as junior Megan Michela (Carol Stream, Ill.) booted in a shot from 25 yards out to put the Bruins ahead. 4-1.
SEMO continued to fight, cutting its deficit in half, 4-2, on a header from Katie Lever before everything finally settled for the remaining 12 minutes of the match. After Lever's goal Belmont ensured that the Redhawks wouldn't sneak back any further as the team continued to make critical stops to solidify the win.
Mendiola has now tallied nine goals and eight assists this season, both career marks for the Belmont standout.