Ohio Valley Conference

MACOMB, Ill. - Western Illinois University Women's Soccer just picked up its first win of the 2024 season, defeating Southeast Missouri State 2-1 on Sunday. Heading back home to John MacKenzie Alumni Field, the Leathernecks looked to keep their momentum as they faced off against SIUE on Thursday afternoon. Western Illinois capitalized on a chance late in the first half to pick up a one-zero lead, but SIUE equalized with twelve minutes to go as the match ended in a one-all draw. 

SIUE started things with a trio of early corner kicks, but Western's defense cleared them away to keep things knotted at zero. 

Claire Brown got a great chance in the thirteenth minute as she fired a shot from the edge of the box, but missed wide. 

Around the 20th minute, the Leatherneck defense had a great stretch of solid plays, as they blocked three shots in two minutes. 

The two sides went back and forth with chances until the 37th minute, when Leatherneck forwards Callie McMurtrey and Landry McCoid got free on a break. McCoid played a great ball in to McMurtrey from the halfway mark and left McMurtrey all alone with the Cougar keeper. McMurtrey then made a smart play to dump it back off to McCoid, who buried it from about 20 yards out to give the Leathernecks the lead. 

The one-nil score held until the break, but not before Autumn Wilson came in clutch with a goal-saving, goal-line clearance to keep the Leathernecks ahead.

Things started off pretty slow in the second half before SIUE got five corners in eight minutes from the 54th to the 61st minute. Leatherneck keeper Ariel Bernard made an incredible save to deflect a shot heading for the top corner of the net. 

SIUE finally broke through in the 78th minute, scoring on their 16th corner kick attempt of the match. Despite being outshot 23-8, and losing the corner battle 17-2, WIU pulled out the draw, holding position in the OVC as they currently stand in sixth place, pending the results of Thursday night's matches.

EASTERN ILLINOIS 2, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 1
CHARLESTON, Ill. - Eastern Illinois picked up points in the OVC standings for the third straight match, this time coming away with a 2-1 win over Southeast Missouri on Thursday afternoon at Lakeside Field.
 
Abby Reinl scored the match winner in the final six minutes of action for her fourth goal of the season including third in OVC play.   Reinl scored on a breakaway in the middle of the box set up by Kate Germano on Germano's second assist of the match.
 
Germano's first assist came as she set up Alex Tetteh for Tetteh's fourth goal of the season as the Panthers jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the 8th minute of action.
 
SEMO evened the score at 1-1 midway through the first half as Alayna Jakul headed home a goal on an assist from Elizabeth Rater.
 
EIU finished with four shots on goal with two off the foot of Tetteh, one by Reinl and one by Kya Trejo. 
 
SEMO had six shots on goal with two each by Cayla Koerner and Jakul.
 
Ella Kratochvil had five saves for the Panthers who improved to 3-5-5 on the season, 1-1-2 in the OVC.
 
SEMO fell to 0-9-1 overall, 0-3-1 in the OVC.

LITTLE ROCK 1, UT MARTIN 0
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - The Trojans secured a 1-0 victory over UT Martin, remaining unbeaten in OVC play. Peyton Urban earned her 6th shutout of the season, tying for the 3rd most in a single season, while Candice Kilderry netted her 3rd game-winner, tying for the 6th most in a single season.

The Little Rock defense held strong in another shutout victory. The game was a back-and-forth battle, as expected from a Little Rock matchup. The Skyhawks were limited to just two shots in the first half, compared to the Trojans' eight. The deadlock lasted for the first 30 minutes before Candice Kilderry broke through. Positioned for a free kick just outside the box, Jaeda Centeno lined up to take the shot, but after Centeno's fake, Kilderry stepped in and drilled a direct shot into the back of the net, scoring her 3rd game-winner of the year. She now sits tied for the 6th most in a single season alongside other standout Little Rock players.

The defense, led by Peyton Urban, anchored the Trojans' success. Urban's 6th shutout of the year ties her for the 3rd most in a single season and also ties her for 3rd all-time (12). Seniors Mykena Turner and Sherry Saad also contributed significantly, with multiple blocked shots and key defensive plays. It was a comprehensive team effort that sealed the victory.

LINDENWOOD 2, SOUTHERN INDIANA 0
ST. CHARLES, Mo. - On Thursday night, women's soccer battled the Screaming Eagles of Southern Indiana. The Lions would soar over the Screaming Eagles, defeating them 2-0.

In the first half, the Lions would dominate the offensive zone, outshooting the Screaming Eagles 8-1. In the 16th minute of the match, Eyglo Thorsteinsdottir would a send a 50-yard pass right on Mackenzie Compton's foot, with Compton taking the ball to the net and scoring it in the bottom right corner, off a right footed shot inside the box.This would be Compton's third goal of the season. Lindenwood would hold the Screaming Eagles scoreless for the remainder of the half. After a half of play Lindenwood would lead 1-0.

In the second half, Compton would score her second goal of the night off a rebound, less than a minute into the frame. Compton's goal would be assisted by Anna Johnson. The Lions would hold the Screaming Eagles scoreless in the second half, with the Lions registering their sixth shutout on the season. In the second half, the Lions outshot Southern Indiana 11-6.

After the match, Lindenwood improves to 7-4-1, setting a program record for most wins in the NCAA Division I era. Caroline Ritter made two saves in the match, registering her fourth shutout on the season. Compton registered her first career two-goal game, and now leads the team in goals with four.

TENNESSEE TECH 1, MOREHEAD STATE 0
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - A dramatic Maggie Conrad save on a penalty kick in the waning moments of regulation helped propel the Tennessee Tech soccer team to a thrilling 1-0 victory over Morehead State Thursday night at Tech Soccer Field.

Down a goal with under two minutes left, Morehead's Kennedy Baquero was taken down in the box to set the stage for a Hedda Ornberg PK with the chance at an equalizer well within sight. Ornberg, who is tied for the second most goals in the conference, drove a ball low toward the left post but Conrad's diving effort proved to be enough in gobbling up the chance to push the Golden Eagles to the finish line.

The reigning OVC Goalkeeper of the Week halted her third penalty kick in as many matches after stopping two SEMO PK's as part of a 3-0 victory on Sept. 26. On Thursday Conrad picked up five saves on the way to the shutout.

Overall, Tech's victory over the defending OVC Tournament champions was the club's third-consecutive triumph as well as third-consecutive clean sheet. The Golden Eagles (3-7-4, 3-1-0 OVC) have outscored the opposition 6-0 over the three-match surge.

TTU jumped on the board in the tilt's early stages behind a Katie Toney goal for the McMinnville, Tenn. native's fifth of the year and third-straight match with a goal. Toney's score was set up by a Lucia Cuadra free kick that was placed perfectly to the waiting shoe tops of Toney, who took care of the rest in finding the back of the net. The well-executed set piece earned Cuadra her fourth assist of the year to tie for the league lead.

Neve Renwick led all players with four shots, including three on-frame. Ava Peck paced Morehead's side with three total attempts. The Eagles (5-5-3, 2-2-0 OVC) led the overall shot battle, 13-11.

Morehead State's Lilly Bailey picked up five saves in the loss.