BOX SCORE (HTML) | BOX SCORE (PDF) | KIRACOFE & WEBER SEMO POST-MATCH
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – With 52 seconds remaining the match, freshman
Paige Weber tallied the game-winning goal as the fifth-seeded Morehead State soccer team upset top-seeded Southeast Missouri 2-1 on the Redhawks’ home turf in the second Ohio Valley Conference semifinal match on Friday night at Houck Stadium.
With the 2-1 win, the Eagles advance to the championship match on Sunday at 2 p.m. ET against third-seeded UT Martin. It will mark MSU’s second straight championship match appearance and third in the last four years after winning the 2008 title match and also winning the 2010 championship contest in Morehead. A win on Sunday would also give the Eagles either a regular season or tournament championship four straight years.
Morehead State improves to 11-7-3, while Southeast Missouri finishes its season at 12-6-1.
Southeast Missouri controlled much of the possession in the first half and notched the game’s first score in the 21st minute. Lauren Bozesky crossed the ball into the middle of the Eagle box where Jessie Crabtree hit the ball into the goal. The Eagles were able to gain some momentum back late in the first half, but still finished the first 45 minutes down a goal.
The Eagles started the second half where they left off, continuing their strong play from the end of the first half by controlling more of the possession as the match went on. Barely 10 minutes into the second half senior forward
Jillian Birchmeier tallied her fifth goal of the season and the 20th goal of her career in the 56th minute. Redshirt freshman
Holly Tilley played the ball into Birchmeier, who beat her defender and hit a shot into the bottom left corner past Redhawk goalkeeper Ashton Aubuchon from 25 yards out.
After the goal, the Eagles maintained their pressure on the Redhawk back line, with senior midfielder
Brittany Kiracofe recording two shots that had to be saved by a diving Aubuchon. It appeared the match was headed to overtime with less than a minute left in the match and the score still tied at 1-all.
With 52 seconds remaining in regulation Weber tallied the most important Eagle goal of the season and her second goal of the season. On a throw-in from senior defender
Brittany MacLennan, Kiracofe flicked the ball onto senior forward
Devan Jordan, who found Weber open in front of the goal. The freshman placed a driven ball into the back to the net to send the Eagles into the OVC championship match. Kiracofe and Jordan were credited with game-winning assists.
Morehead State outshot Southeast Missouri 13-11, with seven Eagle shots on frame. Freshman
Ali Hawksford led MSU individually with four shots, while Birchmeier and Kiracofe each tallied two shots each. Southeast Missouri out-cornered the Eagles 8-5, while both teams combined for 27 fouls in the physical match.
Senior goalkeeper
Katie Blevins registered four saves in the match, while Aubuchon made five.
UT Martin defeated the Eagles in the only meeting between the two schools this season, a 2-1 overtime loss in Morehead on Oct. 9.
