Ohio Valley Conference

ST. CHARLES, Mo. - The Lindenwood women's soccer team (3-1-2, 0-0-0 OVC) came away with a 0-0- draw in Sunday afternoon's match against Belmont (2-1-1, 0-0-0 MVC).  The draw extended the Lions unbeaten streak at Hunter Stadium to 10 games dating back to last season.

For the first time this season, the Lions took more shots in the first half than they would in the second, outshooting the Bruins 5-2 through the first 45 minutes. Of those five shots, two were on goal, with Lindenwood's best scoring opportunity coming on an Anna Johnson attempt from inside the box in the game's 22nd minute. However, the Belmont keeper managed to turn the chance away for a save.

Despite taking just four shots in the second half, Lindenwood still had their chances, including a penalty kick attempt by Tasneem Dizdarevic that went just high and off the post. The Lions also had six corner kicks in the frame but were unable to convert any of them for scores.

Belmont upped the pressure in the second half, taking a total of nine shots. Caroline Ritter was up to the task, however, posting six saves to complete her third shutout performance of the season.

MIAMI (OHIO) 3, TENNESSEE TECH 0
OXFORD, Ohio - The Tennessee Tech soccer team closed out the month of August with a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Miami (OH) Sunday afternoon from Bobby Kramig Field.

The RedHawks (3-2-0) scored in the wanning stages of the first half before finding the back of the net twice within a five-minute span early in the second to account for the tilt's scoring.

Sophia Penegor put Miami on the board just before intermission thanks to a penalty-kick goal in the 44th minute following a Golden Eagle foul that made the chance possible. The RedHawks then added on with a pair of quick goals early in the second stanza that saw Millie Cook split the pipes in the 58th minute before Katie O'Malley did the honors in the 63rd.

O'Malley earned an assist on the first second-half score, while Caroline Mortonson picked up a helper on the second.

The Golden Eagles (0-5-1) attempted three shots in the contest behind first-half tries by Ebba Melin and Eva Baker in the 16th minute and a second-half bid by Natalie Howard in the 59th minute. Melin and Howard's attempts were both on-goal. Cook and O'Malley paced the RedHawks with three shots apiece. Miami attempted 17 in the match.

Following a season-best eight saves in Thursday's 1-1 draw with ETSU, Maggie Conrad collected four stops. Dominique Popa picked up a pair of denials on the way to the clean sheet.

Claire Palya, Anna Baker, Ebba Melin and Abigail Davis played all 90 minutes. Allison Lee was out on the pitch for 84 minutes, while Eva Baker participated in 75 minutes off the bench.

NORTHERN KENTUCKY 5, MOREHEAD STATE 0
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - When it rains, it pours.
 
And for the Morehead State women's soccer team, right now seems like a torrential downpour.
 
The Eagles surrendered five goals, including two own goals, in falling to Northern Kentucky 5-0 on Sunday afternoon at the NKU Soccer Stadium in Highland Heights, Ky.
 
It was the second straight game Morehead State (1-4) allowed five scores. The result also was both the third straight overall and third straight road defeat.

Northern Kentucky (3-0-2) extended its overall and home unbeaten streaks to five and seven games, respectively. The Norse also raised their series record against MSU to 8-0-1 and 4-0-1 at home. Sunday was both the most goals and the largest margin of victory in the series.
 
The opening goal came when Sophia Kapszukiewicz made a long throw into the box that was finished by Lilly Yordy just off the line at the 9:02 mark.
 
Just 23 seconds later, the second score came off a cross from the left side that a defender attempted to clear, but her kick spun backward and into the net.
 
The third goal came at 32:23. This time a ball was kicked from the right side that the defender headed backwards and into the goal.
 
NKU held a 10-4 edge in shots in the first half, prompting MSU to make lineup and format changes.
 
The moves yielded some positive early results but the Norse was able to get back onto the scoreboard at the 61:49 mark, when Yordy found Natalie Newman for the score.
 
Yordy tallied the final unassisted goal at 70:28.
 
Northern Kentucky finished with a 21-11 edge in shots and a 3-2 advantage in corner kicks. Both teams made six saves, had 10 fouls, one yellow card and were flagged for being offside once.
 
Freshman forward Jade Walton took a team season-high three shots for Morehead State.
 
Yordy led all players with a game-best five shots.
 
Sophomore goalkeeper Claire Cress played the first 45 minutes and surrendered three goals to suffer the loss and fell to 1-4. She finished with three saves. Redshirt sophomore Sofia Rodriguez finished the contest and also made three saves. She allowed two goals.
 
NKU played three keepers. Starter Megan Gessner played for 70 minutes and 13 seconds and made four saves. Grace Kostohryz was in net for 14 minutes and 18 seconds, and recorded one save. Donna Bundy finished the night with five minutes and 29 seconds in the net but did not make a save. The hosts also benefited from a team defensive save.
 
The game featured the regular-season intercollegiate debut for Sofia Rodriquez and freshman defender Addison Petry. Rodriquez sat out two seasons at Western Carolina, before transferring to MSU this past spring. Petry had been out of every game this fall, including the preseason, with an injury.
 
Coupled with Thursday's 5-1 defeat at the hands of Eastern Kentucky, Sunday marked the first time since Sept. 12-14, 2003, that the Eagles gave up five goals in back-to-back games
.

INDIANA STATE 3, WESTERN ILLINOIS 0
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. - Western Illinois women's soccer closed out its second road match of the week on Sunday, falling 3-0 at Indiana State inside Memorial Stadium.

The Sycamores struck early, finding the net in the fourth minute and again less than five minutes later to build a quick lead. Indiana State added a third goal late in the opening half and carried a 3-0 advantage into the break.

Western Illinois settled in defensively after halftime, holding the Sycamores to nine shots in the second period after facing 18 in the first. Goalkeeper Ariel Bernard finished with 10 saves, including seven in the opening half.

On the attack, the Leathernecks recorded three shots. Aoife Boulter put the Leathernecks lone attempt on goal in the 81st minute, while Ali Matthews and Ava Bell also contributed shots. 

As a result, Western Illinois moves to 1-4-0 on the season.

NORTHERN ILLINOIS 2, EASTERN ILLINOIS 1
DEKLB, Ill. - Abby Reinl continued her hot goal scoring week with a first half tally but Eastern Illinois allowed two late second half goals to fall 2-1 on the road at Northern Illinois.

Reinl scored her third goal of the week, finding the back of the net in the 22nd minute on an assist from Ella Onstott.

EIU would have that goal stand up until the final six minutes of action when NIU evened the match at 1-1 with 6:01 remaining in the match on a goal by Tyra King.

The Huskies continued the pressure breaking through in the final 19 seconds for the match winner by Alyssa Stephenson.

Ella Kratochvil made nine saves in net for EIU as they finished the week 1-1 on the road to stand at 2-4 overall.

Reinl, Alex Tetteh, Kate Germano and Madi Watt all had shots on goal for EIU.

NIU improved 2-2-1 on the year.

NORTH ALABAMA 3, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 0
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Southeast Missouri Soccer (0-5-0) fell to North Alabama (2-1-2) on Sunday afternoon by a final score of 3-0 at Houck Field.
 
The Redhawks were outshot by a final tally of 18-2, including nine shots-on-target from the visitors. Goalkeeper Cayla Koerner, making her second career start in net, finished with six saves and recorded the Redhawks lone shot on goal in the contest from a set piece. 
 
Senior forward Navi Washington recorded the only other Redhawk shot in the contest. 
 
The Lions scored two goals in the first half in the 15th and 21st minute before scoring their third and final goal in the 81st minute of the contest. 
 
Justi Nelson and Rachel Kretzer each played the full 90-minutes of Sunday's contest.

SOUTHERN INDIANA 2, SOUTHERN ILLINOIS 0
EVANSVILLE, Ind. - University of Southern Indiana Women's Soccer seized its first victory of the 2025 season Sunday afternoon when the Screaming Eagles defeated Southern Illinois University, 2-0, at Strassweg Field.
 
USI (1-5-0) posted its first shutout of the season and handed Southern Illinois (4-1-0) its first loss of the year. Before USI scored its pair of goals on Sunday, the Salukis had outscored their opponents 13-1 in the previous four matches.
 
On Sunday, the Screaming Eagles fired away 11 shots with five taken on goal. Freshmen midfielders Paulina Campos and Haley Kocher each scored their first career goals in the winning effort. USI freshmen have scored half of USI's six goals on the season. Senior forward Emerson Grafton topped the squad with three shots against the Salukis, while redshirt sophomore forward Eva Boer notched two shot attempts.
 
Redshirt junior goalkeeper Anna Markland picked up her first clean sheet of the season behind an overall solid defensive effort, as Southern Illinois had zero shots on goal in 10 shot attempts.
 
It did not take long on Sunday for the Screaming Eagles to make some noise. USI jumped on the scoreboard in the fourth minute when Campos cleaned up a scramble in the box off a corner kick to give the Eagles an early 1-0 advantage. The energetic start continued with two more shots by USI within two minutes of scoring the opening goal.
 
Shortly after the 15-minute mark of the first half, the Salukis found some footing with one shot ricocheting off the crossbar and another blocked by the Eagles' defense. However, the game turned into a defensive deadlock for the remainder of the opening 45 minutes, as USI went into halftime still ahead, 1-0.
 
USI came back out of halftime with the same energy it had earlier in the contest, launching four shots in the first 10 minutes of the second half. The USI midfield had a strong run in the middle of the second half, pressuring the ball and keeping possession in the attacking half of the field.
 
The Screaming Eagles' defense continued to frustrate the Salukis, but Southern Illinois did not go down without a fight. The Salukis had a few shot attempts in the final 25 minutes, including one that grazed off the side post.
 
Down the stretch, USI had a couple of chances for an insurance goal halted by the Salukis. However, inside the final minute, the Screaming Eagles would not be denied. Following a defensive clearance off a set piece, the ball landed at Kocher's feet, and the freshman took off on a breakaway down the field and slotted the ball past the goalkeeper to seal the 2-0 triumph for USI.

ILLINOIS STATE 1, UT MARTIN 0
MARTIN, Tenn. - A goal by Illinois State's Rylann Law in the 77th minute broke up a scoreless draw and clinched the win for the Redbirds, 1-0, over the University of Tennessee at Martin soccer team Sunday at Skyhawk Soccer Field in Martin.

Illinois State outshot the Skyhawks, 18-10, in the match and placed more shots on target at 8-6. The Redbirds also dominated the match in corner kicks. 7-2.

Peyton Cook accounted for half of UT Martin's total shots in the game with five and half of its shots on goal with three. Jordyn Riffle played the full 90 minutes in goal for the Skyhawks and saved seven shots, despite the late goal.

EVANSVILLE 3, SIUE 0
EAVNSVILLE, Ky. - Evansville scored three first-half goals to defeat SIUE women's soccer at McCutchan Stadium.

The Cougars held their opponents scoreless in the second half of Sunday's contest and have now held opponents scoreless in the second half in three consecutive contests.

SIUE dropped to 1-4-1 with Sunday's loss. Evansville improved to 3-1. The Cougars now return home to face sister school SIU Carbondale next Thursday at 7 p.m. There will be a 618 Sticker Giveaway Thursday at Korte Stadium.

On Sunday,. Aleah Minehart and Savannah DeFini led the Cougars with two shots each. SIUE finished with eight shots overall. Sarah Bozeman collected a career-best eight saves in goal for the Cougars.

Evansville picked up goals from Taylor Wehrer (10:36), Kathryn Tyler (21:45) and Lilliana Kytasaari (33:25). Allie Lammers recorded two saves in goal for the Purple Aces.

LITTLE ROCK 3, CENTRAL ARKANSAS 2
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Down two goals, Little Rock roared back with three unanswered to stun Central Arkansas in the Governor's I-40 Showdown. It was the Trojans' second straight win over UCA. 

It was a great night for some soccer, and the match between two in-state rivals did not disappoint in the Trojans' home opener. UCA controlled the ball early, pressing into Little Rock's defensive half for the first 20 minutes before striking first. The Sugar Bears doubled their lead in the 39th minute.

But what seemed daunting to the fans did not shake the Trojans, as the team immediately responded with a quick counter followed up by an unassisted goal from sophomore Maria Schuller just before halftime. 

In the second half, Little Rock came out hot and ready to fight; they looked hungrier and pounced on every ball that went their way. It came to full fruition when senior Amaya Arias scored with the assist from Schuller eight minutes into the second half. With UCA on their heels, the Trojans knew they had to push harder if they wanted that winning goal, but the Sugar Bears would not give up easily.

After Little Rock's second goal, three yellow cards were issued in an 18-minute span, along with multiple fouls. The Trojans capitalized on this turmoil with Arias, assisted by junior Candice Kilderry, scoring the third and deciding goal in the 69th minute. Later, a UCA player received a second yellow card in the 81st minute, resulting in a red card and ejection.

After the Trojans' third goal and the red card, UCA tried to claw their way back in, but freshmen defenders Emily Nahon and Mary Ratcliff controlled the back line until the final whistle.

Trojan standouts included goalscorers Arias with two goals (four for the season) and Schuller with one goal (three for the season). Senior Emma Beattie, sophomore Kaylee Cuff, and junior Hannah Schneider also provided strong performances off the bench.