FRIDAY'S SCORES
Clemson 4,
SIUE 0
@Chattanooga 3,
Austin Peay 2
@Northern Kentucky 2,
Eastern Kentucky 1
Eastern Illinois 2, @IUPUI 0
@Western Carolina 3,
Morehead State 1
@Belmont 3, Middle Tennessee 2
Southeast Missouri 2, @Evansville 0
@UT Martin 4, Marshall 1
@Alabama 5,
Jacksonville State 1
@Vanderbilt 1,
Tennessee Tech 0 (OT)
CLEMSON 4, SIUE 0
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The Cougars dropped their season opener 4-0 to Clemson at the Hoosier Challenge Cup.
The Tigers scored all four of their goals in the first 25 minutes of play and the Cougars couldn't recover. Clemson out shot SIUE 1-3. The Tigers netted their first three goals in a span of three minutes. Mariana Speckmaier scored a hat trick for the Tigers, and Jenna Polonsky added the fourth.
Peyton Roehnelt had the three shots for the Cougars.
SIUE is back in action Sunday, at 10 am when they will face off against Cal Poly in their second and final game in the Hoosier Challenge Cup.
EASTERN ILLINOIS 2, IUPUI 0
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - Sarah DeWolf scored the first goal of the Eastern Illinois women’s soccer season midway through the first half as the Panthers added a second half goal to win 2-0 at IUPUI on Friday evening.
It marked the first time since the 2010 season that EIU has opened a season with a win. That same season the Panthers also knocked off the Jaguars by a 2-0 decision.
DeWolf scored in the 25th minute as the sophomore sent home a pass from Pilar Barrio on a diagonal ball from 14-yards out.
Kate Olson tacked on an insurance goal for the Panthers in 72nd minute as senior Carrie Caplin passed a loose ball off a restart to Olson for the score.
Sara Teteak turned away all five IUPUI shots on goal. EIU finished with five shots on goal with Caplin, Emma Scaro and Niondina Nystrom all firing shots on the IUPUI keeper.
The Panthers return to action on Sunday afternoon with a 12 pm at Indiana State.
CHATTANOOGA 3, AUSTIN PEAY 2
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - Kirstin Robertson and Renee Semaan each scored in the 2017 season opener, but Austin Peay State University women’s soccer team dropped a 3-2 decision to Chattanooga, Friday night at Finley Stadium.
For the second consecutive match, Austin Peay (0-1) fell into an early deficit as Chattanooga’s Jordan Mueller drove home a cross in the fourth minute for an early 1-0 lead. The Mocs threatened to double their lead but Govs goalkeeper Lindsey Todd turned aside a scoring chance in the 15th minute.
The Governors did not lack for opportunities over the next 20 minutes, forcing Chattanooga goalkeeper Melia Correa to make saves on consecutive shots in the 24th and 25th minutes. Another flurry 10 minutes later saw Correa make another stop in the 35th minute. But on the ensuing corner kick McKenzie Dixon found Renee Semaan’s feet and she booted in the game-tying goal.
Chattanooga (1-0) wasted no time responding to the tying goal and Mueller again did the honors, driving in a goal off a corner kick by McKenzie Gregg to give the Mocs a 2-1 lead they carried into halftime.
A quiet start to the second half was broken by the Mocs in the 58th minute when Mueller found Catherine Meyer who scored the eventual game-winning goal.
Austin Peay responded quickly with Kirstin Robertson finding the net in the 65th minute despite three Mocs surrounding her eight yards from goal, narrowing the deficit to 3-2.
However, Austin Peay could not find the tying goal in the final 25 minutes. The Govs had four shots in the final stanza, forcing a pair of saves. Robertson nearly tied the game in the 89th minute but the Mocs were able to stop her header shy of the goal line to preserve the win.
The Governors finished the game with advantages in both shots (15-5) and corner kicks (7-2), demonstrating their control of the game’s flow. However, Chattanooga’s Correa made seven saves to deny the Govs a positive result.
Austin Peay will get a fresh opportunity to notch their season’s first win with a 6 p.m., Sunday contest at Middle Tennessee.
NORTHERN KENTUCKY 2, EASTERN KENTUCKY 1
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - The Eastern Kentucky University soccer team fell, 2-1, in its season-opening match at Horizon League favorite Northern Kentucky on Friday night
The Colonels (0-1) struck early in the first half, as senior forward Emmi Carroll connected on a free kick just outside of the box that found the left corner of the net.
The Norse (1-0) evened up the score with a free-kick goal of their own in the 25th minute, this one off the foot of Macy Hamblin. The teams remained deadlocked until the 61st minute, when Jessica Frey buried the game-winner off a failed clearance in front of the EKU net.
The Colonels tried to rally in the waning moments of the game, firing five shots in the last 10 minutes, three of which were on goal, but none found the back of the net.
In total, EKU attempted 12 shots on the night, four of which were on target. Senior forward Jordan Foster led all players in the game with seven shots. Carroll and sophomore forward Sam Eastes each contributed two.
Senior goalkeeper Anna Hall recorded four saves in the loss. Junior defenders Haley Kemper and Kacy Eckley never left the field of play for the Colonels.
EKU will be back in action Sunday, as they travel to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Game time is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 2, EVANSVILLE 0
EVANSVILLE, Ind. - Southeast Missouri opened the 2017 season with a 2-0 shutout of Evansville (0-1) Friday evening.
Southeast's offense and defense were firing on all cylinders Friday evening as the offense fired off 13 shots while the defense held Evansville to just three on the evening.
Kindra Lierz (1-0) picked up the solo shutout in goal, having to make only one save. The solo shutout was the 24th of her career, four shy of tying the record of 28 (Lindsay Pickering).
Michaela Till (0-1) recorded the loss in goal for Evansville. Till allowed both Redhawk goals and made four saves in 90 minutes.
Paige Blankenheim and Maddy Cornell each netted a goal to guide the Redhawks to the season-opening victory.
Blankenheim led the squad with three shots in the contest, tying a career-best two shots on goal. Esmie Gonzales, Jennifer Brien, and Cornell all had two shots each.
Defender Lauren Kaempfe was the only field player for Southeast to play the full 90 minutes of the contest.
The Redhawks and Purple Aces played to a scoreless draw after the first 45 minutes of play. At half, the Redhawks outshot UE, 6-1. SEMO put two of its six shots on goal.
Brien had two shots in the opening half with four others contributing one each.
Southeast was called on eight fouls in the half while UE was called for just three. The Redhawks also had three corner kick opportunities.
Blankenheim scored the go-ahead goal, the eventual game winner, in the 52nd minute to put the Redhawks up 1-0. Blankenheim settled the ball at the top of the box and fired to score the unassisted goal.
The Redhawks' lead was added to in the 81st minute when Cornell shot from the top left of the box and found the back of the net, scoring her second career goal.
Southeast's defense held the Purple Aces, fending off one more shot in the 89th minute to secure the shutout.
The Redhawks will host Illinois Springfield Sunday at Houck Field at 6:30 p.m. Southeast will be giving out SEMO Soccer Eclipse t-shirts to the first 400 fans through the gates Sunday. The match will be streamed live and for free to the OVC Digital Network.
WESTERN CAROLINA 3, MOREHEAD STATE 1
CULLOWHEE, N.C. - Morehead State struck first, but ultimately fell 3-1 at Western Carolina in Friday's regular-season opener.
Freshman midfielder Caitlyn Burdine netted the initial score of the match, thanks to an assist from junior Samantha Damante in the 31st minute. Western Carolina quickly followed on the scoreboard, however, notching its first goal less than 30 seconds later.
The two teams entered halftime in a 1-1 tie, but WCU scored twice unanswered in the second period. The game's final goal was clinched in the 86th minute.
The Eagles saw reigning Ohio Valley Conference Freshman of the Year Ashley Ritchie attempt half of Morehead State's eight shots, landing one try on goal in 65 minutes of action. Junior goalkeeper Michelle Washburn notched seven saves off 16 shots from the Catamounts.
MSU returns to action early next week in the Eagles' 2017 home debut. Morehead State will kick off with Northern Kentucky (1-0) at Jayne Stadium on Monday at 7 p.m. ET.
ALABAMA 5, JACKSONVILLE STATE 1
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The Jacksonville State soccer team opened the 2017 season with a 5-1 setback to Alabama on Friday night at the Alabama Soccer Complex.
Alabama netted a pair of goals within an eight-minute span in the second half to take control of the contest. UA broke a 1-1 deadlock in the 58th minute with a header off of a corner kick. UA's Kayla Mouton finished off the set piece with the header to the left corner of the net. With momentum back on its side, UA added the second goal within the span with a goal by Emma Welch.
UA (1-0) added a pair of insurance goals late in the contest as Chatham DeProspo collecting her second goal of the night in the 86th minute. DeProspo opened the contest with her first goal just under two minutes. DeProspo led her club with nine total shots.
JSU's goal came on an own goal by the Crimson Tide after a corner kick was not cleared out in the 33rd minute. Jax State (0-1) was limited offensively with just five total shots on the night, while UA finished with 34 total shots. UA had 18 shots in the opening 45 minutes and turned in 16 in the second half. JSU senior goalkeeper Caroline Robinson turned in eight saves in a solid performance in the goal. Sophomore Rachel Blanding registered three of JSU's five shots.
JSU had a pair of freshmen earn starts in the season opener as Alicia Pallister and Lindsay Albani were inserted in to JSU's defense. Sophomore Mia Wilson started for the first time in her career at JSU.
The Gamecocks now turn their attention to Sunday's home opener against the Hornets of Alabama State. Match time is set for 1 p.m. at the JSU Soccer Field.
UT MARTIN 4, MARSHALL 1
MARTIN, Tenn. - The University of Tennessee at Martin Skyhawks kicked off the 2017 season with a 4-1 victory over the Marshall Thundering Herd at Skyhawk Field tonight.
The UT Martin offense was led by Danae Kaldaridou this evening, as the junior from Athens, Greece netted five points (two goals, one assist). She tied teammate Amy McGivern (two assists) for a game-high six shot attempts while Katelyn Colvin accounted for the game-winning goal and an assist. Kaci Mitchell (goal) and Blare Gerido (assist) also guided a Skyhawk attack that out-shot Marshall by a 20-8 margin.
The Skyhawks netted their first goal on a header by junior defender Mitchell (the first of her career) off of a Colvin pass nearly 20 minutes into the match. That would be the only offense for both sides in the first half.
UT Martin found the net again on a double pass from McGivern and Kaldaridou when she connected with Colvin. Colvin took the ball, made a spin move then fired away from 12 yards out to find the upper right part of the net, pushing the Skyhawk lead out to 2-0.
Just four minutes passed before UT Martin scored again. This time Kaldaridou took the pass from McGivern, charged in on the left side and found the upper right corner of the goal to make the score 3-0.
The only blemish for the Skyhawk defense came on a penalty kick by Ashley Seltzer after a UT Martin yellow card in the 63rd minute.
The final UT Martin goal came a little over 14 minutes later when Kaldaridou found a lob from freshman Gerido to net her second goal of the match.
The Skyhawks will put their perfect record on the line when they travel to regional foe Evansville on Sunday, Aug. 20. The match is set to begin at 7:30 p.m.
BELMONT 3, MIDDLE TENNESSEE 2
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Belmont women's soccer showed grit and determination in Friday night's season opener against Middle Tennessee at E.S. Rose Park. The Bruins struggled to get past a stubborn Blue Raider squad up until the final three minutes of the match when junior midfielder Jessi Boozer (Brentwood, Tenn.) sent in the game-winning goal to lift BU past MTSU, 3-2.
Both squads battled back and forth for much of the game, but it was all Belmont in the final minutes. Trailing 2-1 after the first half, the Bruins turned it on and netted a pair of unanswered goals to sneak past the Blue Raiders. Freshman forward Julie Garst (Franklin, Tenn.) struck first in the 50th minute after finding open ground and sliding in a shot past the MTSU goalkeeper to tie it up, 2-2. They then utilized back-to-back corner kicks to secure the victory as Boozer found the back of the net on an assist from senior midfielder Tara Austin (Beaumont, Texas) who corralled the ball off the second corner.
While the Bruins finished on top, Middle Tennessee (0-1-0) struck first in the 16th minute after sophomore goalkeeper Lily Herman (Springboro, Ohio) was issued a red card. Charlot Van Ishoven capitalized on the free kick that proceeded the penalty, retrieving her own rebound and sending the ball in to give the Blue Raiders a 1-0 lead.
From then on the Bruins were only allowed ten players on the field, putting them at a disadvantage for the final 74 minutes of the match. However, they didn't allow the hurdle to hinder them as junior midfielder Emily Whitcomb (Elmhurst, Ill.) headed in the equalizer four minutes later to knot the game up, 1-1. MTSU would strike for the final time in the waning minutes of the first half as Peyton Depriest beat rookie goalkeeper Abby Hunt (Surrey, British Columbia, Canada) and let one go from 18 yards out.
Still down a player, Belmont continued to play aggressively in the second frame with Garst collecting a beautiful assist from senior Belicia Mendiola (McKinney, Texas) and slipping in her first collegiate goal. Garst then came within striking distance of scoring once again, firing a bullet that met the right post and ricocheted off to rob the Bruins of the go-ahead goal with 30 minutes to go before Boozer would eventually find the answer.
BU outshot MTSU, 22-11, while getting eight on frame. Mendiola and Garst led the offensive efforts with six shots, while Hunt registered a save on the defensive end.
The Bruins will return to E.S. Rose Park next weekend for a pair of home matches. They will take on Western Carolina on Friday, Aug. 25 before hosting Tennessee Wesleyan on Sunday, Aug. 27.
VANDERBILT 1, TENNESSEE TECH 0
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Tennessee Tech dropped its season-opener at Vanderbilt, 1-0, in overtime on Friday.
Tina Marolt recorded three of the Golden Eagles' five shots and two of the four shots on goal. Cassidy Ortman and Molly Kafader each tallied a shot on goal.
Tech goalkeeper Kari Naerdemann made one save and gave up just the one goal.
Tennessee Tech will be back in action on Sunday when it travels to East Tennessee State.