FRIDAY'S SCORES
@Austin Peay 2, Eastern Kentucky 1 (OT)
@Belmont 3, Eastern Illinois 0
@Jacksonville State 2, Murray State 1
@SIUE 1, Morehead State 0
@Southeast Missouri 1, Tennessee Tech 0
AUSTIN PEAY 2, EASTERN KENTUCKY 1
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - After each team found the back of the net once in regulation, Austin Peay State University women's soccer picked up its second-straight home overtime win when Rachel Bradberry collected a loose ball off a free kick and ripped a shot past the Eastern Kentucky goalkeeper from the top of the box to secure a 2-1 victory for the Governors, Friday, at Morgan Bros. Soccer Field.
Austin Peay (2-4) fired the opening salvo when Bradberry chipped a Tori Case long ball to Claire Larose, who found herself in a one-on-one opportunity with Eastern Kentucky (1-4) goalkeeper Billie Clark. Larose beat Clark to the far corner of the net for her season's first goal and the Govs held a 1-0 lead in the 12th minute.
The rest of the first half went by without many looks on goal for either squad, each keeper made just a pair of saves in the first half, but it was Peyton Powell who keep a clean sheet in the first 45 minutes and the Governors led 1-0 at the break.
The offensive urgency picked up for both teams in the second half, as Powell would go on to make four saves in the second 45 minutes of the contest. But in the 68th minute of the contest, Eastern Kentucky; Michaela Iacono sent a corner kick into the box and Mackenzie Burdick beat Powell with a header to tie the match at one.
Immediately following the tally by the Colonels, Tori Case and Ashley Whittaker both put shots on target for Austin Peay, but neither was able to best Clark. The best scoring opportunity for either quad in the second half came in the 90th minute, when Eastern Kentucky's Ali Kirk found herself in a wide-open one-on-one opportunity with Powell, but Kirk sent a shot just high over the crossbar and the Govs were able to hold on and force overtime.
After neither table was able to muster a shot in the first nine minutes of overtime, the Govs drew a foul just on the Eastern Kentucky side of midfield. Case sent a ball into the box on the free kick, where it was headed by an Eastern Kentucky player before Bradberry connected with a strong right foot to beat Clark to the top-right corner of the net for the game-winning goal.
BELMONT 3, EASTERN ILLINOIS 0
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Belmont Women's Soccer suffocated visiting Eastern Illinois (1-4) on both sides of the ball on Friday afternoon at E.S. Rose Park en route to a crucial win in the conference-only season. The Bruins (3-3) dominated from the opening whistle, going on to take the match, 3-0, marking the second consecutive shutout victory of the season for the team.
The time of possession was lopsided from the first minute of regulation as BU controlled the tempo of the contest. EIU struggled to find an offensive rhythm as the Bruins broke up anything that dared to sail over the midfield line. On the other side the of the field, the home team began its attack on the goal early, notching its first shot attempt four minutes in. Belmont took the lead in the 22nd minute behind an unassisted goal from junior Erin Patterson (Zionsville, Ind.).
Not to be outdone, classmate Rachel Vernon (Suwanee, Ga.) used a nice give from freshman Anna Sweeney (Dayton, Ohio) to find the back of the net and put Belmont ahead, 2-0, at the 37th minute. The Panthers continued to struggle to put together a cohesive offensive output through the remainder of the half as Belmont did not let up, even with the two goal advantage.
After the halftime break, Eastern Illinois showed signs of life, recording a pair of shots in the first four minutes but Belmont still remained in control. Even with the two goal lead, BU did not let up and continued to push down the stretch. The home team saw great flashes from sophomores Emily Nguyen (Monument, Colo.) and Avery Nowak (Oviedo, Fla.) late.
Rather than cruise into the final 90 seconds of regulation, Belmont saw one last offensive push come from Sweeney as she found the back of the net for her first goal of the season, thanks to a spot-on give from Natalie Haverland (Lebanon, Ohio) near the top of the box.
For the match, BU out performed the Panthers in all offensive statistical categories. In shots, Belmont led, 21-8; in shots on goal, 10-3; in corner kicks, 6-1.
JACKSONVILLE STATE 2, MURRAY STATE 1
JACKSONVILLE, Ala. - For the second time in consecutive seasons, the Jacksonville State soccer team has handed Ohio Valley Conference front runner Murray State a setback with Friday's 2-1 win at the JSU Soccer Field.
The Gamecocks have put together back-to-back conference wins with Tuesday's 4-0 blanking at Eastern Kentucky along with Friday's result. Jax State moved to 2-3 on the season, while the Racers suffered their first loss of the season (5-1). The Gamecocks will look to make it three in a row next Tuesday with a trip to Martin, Tennessee against the Skyhawks of UT Martin. In 2019, JSU knocked MSU out of the top spot in the standings late in the year.
JSU wasted little time putting the pressure on the Racers with a goal in the early stages of the contest. Redshirt freshman Ida Cederberg drilled her first shot of the day past the Racers' goalkeeper after sophomore Gabriel Clarke dished out an assist on the scoring play. Clarke has posted a solid week with two goals scored against EKU and an assist on Friday.
Jax state would take that one-goal advantage into the intermission break but had seven chances in the first 45 minutes to extend the lead.
The lone mishap for the Gamecocks came in the 51st minute as the Racers equalized on Chloe Barnthouse's third goal of the season.
Sophomore Cynthia Bagozzi turned in the game winner just over nine minutes later. Bagozzi, who finished with three shots in the contests, scored on a deflected ball off a Racer and into the back of the net. Senior Alicia Pallister was credited with the assist on the final goal.
The Gamecocks will continue to be one of the OVC leaders in shots taken with 16 on the day, nine on-goal chances. The Racers finished with 12 as both clubs had nine each in the final 45 minutes.
Redshirt junior Morgan Lerch turned in her second consecutive solid putting in goal with four saves.
JSU played five freshmen in the contest, led by Kylie Wells. Wells turned in a match-high four shots and leads the club in shots on the season.
SIUE 1, MOREHEAD STATE 0
MOREHEAD, Ky. - SIUE women's soccer took down Morehead State, 1-0, on Friday night to remain atop the table in the Ohio Valley Conference and extend their win streak to five.
After a scoreless opening half, the Cougars kicked off the second half determined to put the ball in the back of the net. That's exactly what happened in the 73rd minute, as Ashlin West took a pass from Kayla Klipsch and netted her second goal of the season. That would be the deciding goal of the match, as goalkeeper Taylor Spiller and the SIUE backline allowed just six total shots to keep a third consecutive clean sheet.
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 1, TENNESSEE TECH 0
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Lexi Grote's late goal lifted Southeast Missouri women's soccer (5-0-0, 5-0-0 OVC) past Tennessee Tech (3-2-0, 3-2-0 OVC), 1-0, Friday evening at Houck Field.
With the victory, SEMO extended its win streak to five and registered its fourth consecutive 1-0 win.
Grote, a senior from Granite City, Illinois, buried a shot in the bottom left corner of the net in the 79th minute Friday to push SEMO past the Golden Eagles. The goal was Grote's first of the 2020-21 season and came off a pass from Hannah Compernolle.
Grote concluded the game with two shots in 47 minutes off the bench.
SEMO registered the game-winner in the 79th minute of regulation for the second-straight game Friday.
Grote had a prime opportunity in the 70th minute off a feed from Kiana Khedoo but missed the net left of target.
Emma Brune then hit a shot on net in the 74th minute of play but Golden Eagles goaltender Isabelle Austin was there for the save.
Brune finished with two shots on net.
After being outshot, 8-4, in the opening half, SEMO reversed the tables and outshot TTU, 6-4, in the final 45 minutes.
Lauren Welker had two shots on goal in 82 minutes on the pitch.
Compernolle, Abby Tremain and Morgan McCourt each also had shots on goal.
The Golden Eagles led the shots on goal differential, 12-10.
Goalkeeper Bailey Redden tallied a season-high six saves for her fifth-straight win and fourth shutout.
Brune, Lexie Hacker and Natalie Jackson all played in the full 90 minutes of Friday's contest.
The Golden Eagles earned six corners compared to SEMO's three which all came in the first half.
TTU's Chloe Smith compiled four shots including two on net. Yao Giada Zhou also had two shots on goal.
Austin made seven saves in the loss.