Box Score
Box Score (PDF)
MOREHEAD, Ky. – Three goals in the final 15 minutes of play propelled the Morehead State soccer team to a thrilling 3-2 victory over UT Martin Sunday afternoon.
UTM opened the scoring in the 25th minute when a Stephanie Nilica free kick found Kelly Ann Hutchinson on the doorstep. Hutchinson was able to head the ball past MSU goalkeeper
Lily Meisner for her first goal of the season.
MSU held the advantage in shots in the first half 5-2 and Meisner and UTM goalkeeper Aubrey Buehler each made one save as the Skyhawks carried a 1-0 lead into halftime.
UTM struck first in the second half and pushed their advantage to two goals in the 55th minute when Melissa Govea took a pass from Katie Imperiale and fired a line shot past Meisner.
The score remained 2-0 for the next 20 minutes and just as the prospect of an Eagle victory was beginning to look hopeless, the MSU offense began to roll.
Sarah Phillip opened the MSU scoring when she tipped in a
Bethany Davidson corner kick. The goal came in the 75th minute of play and was the first goal of Phillip’s career.
Phillip was not done as she then tallied the game-tying goal in the 84th minute. The sophomore from Ashland, Ohio buried a deflected save past Buehler to level the game at two goals apiece.
The Eagles were able to edge ahead of the Skyhawks just two minutes from the regulation whistle when another Davidson corner kick found the head of Eagle senior
Lauren Seebach who nudged the ball past Buehler for the game-winner. It was Davidson’s second assist of the match and Seebach’s second goal of the season.
Meisner recorded three more saves in the second half to total four for the game, while Buehler tallied four second half stops to give her five for the match.
The victory vaults MSU (7-6-3, 4-0-2) into first place in the OVC standings with one weekend to play with 14 points while UT Martin (7-6-0, 4-2-0), who led the standings going into today, remains in second with 12 points.
MSU will return to action with two home contests over the upcoming homecoming weekend. The Eagles will battle the Redhawks of Southeast Missouri State Friday at 7 p.m. MSU will then play the regular season finale Sunday afternoon against Eastern Illinois. Kickoff is 1 p.m. for Sunday’s match. If the Eagles can remain atop of the OVC standings they will win the first OVC regular season title in program history. MSU will also earn the right to host the OVC tournament on November 5-6 and 8.