Box Score
Box Score (PDF)
MOREHEAD, Ky. - It took almost 98 minutes, but Morehead State finally found the back of the net when
Stephanie Gildehaus headed in a corner kick for the overtime game-winner and the Eagles claimed at least a share of the Ohio Valley Conference regular season crown by defeating Eastern Illinois 1-0 Sunday afternoon. It is the first regular season crown in MSU program history.
MSU also earns the right to host the OVC tournament on Nov. 5-6, 8.
MSU controlled play for most of the match, limiting the Panthers to just five shots in the match.
MSU maintained constant pressure on the EIU back lines and came close to finding the opening goal multiple times.
Devan Jordan created the first great opportunity for the Eagles in the 52nd minute. Jordan crossed up two EIU defenders, moving towards the touchline along the left flank. Jordan fired a cross back across the penalty box that was just out of the reach of both
Bethany Davidson and
Sarah Phillip who could not put the cross on goal.
MSU had another golden opportunity in the 77th minute when
Julie Arnold found herself in all kinds of space just 14 yards out. Arnold fired a low shot directly on net, but Panther goalkeeper Jenny Williams made an excellent save with an outstretched foot.
Despite constant pressure and eight corner kicks, the Eagles could not find a goal and regulation ended in 0-0 tie.
Overtime saw MSU continue to apply constant offensive pressure, and the Eagles earned three more corner kicks. The Eagles finally scored the title-clinching goal on the third corner kick in the 98th minute. Davidson curled the kick towards the near post where it was headed on by Phillip. Jordan headed the ball back across the box where Gildehaus rose above a crowd to head it toward the right post. Williams made the save but was clearly over the goal-line giving Gildehaus her first career goal. Phillip and Jordan were awarded assists on the game-winner.
Eagle goalkeeper
Lily Meisner made 4 saves in the match to record her fifth shutout of the season. Williams tallied seven stops.
“They are a hard–working team,” commented head coach Warren Lipka. “I can get after them a little bit and they respond with work. They have really developed and grown throughout the year. I am really proud of them.”
The win moves MSU’s record to 8-6-4 overall and 5-0-3 in the OVC. EIU drops to 7-6-5 and 3-2-2 in the OVC. It was the eighth overtime game of the season for the Eagles and they now hold a 3-1-4 record in those contests. The eight overtime contests mark the most overtimes ever played in a season by MSU.
MSU will now prepare to defend its OVC tournament title and will enter as the tournament’s top seeded team. The tournament begins Thursday, Nov. 5, while the Eagles will play on Nov. 6 after earning a first round bye. The entire tournament will be contested at Jayne Stadium.
“We’ll get prepared to play another OVC team and figure out what we can do better,” commented Lipka on his team’s preparations for the tournament.