BOX SCORE

RICHMOND, Ky. – Senior midfielder Laura Caldon scored her third consecutive game-winner on Friday as the Eastern Kentucky University women’s soccer team won its fourth straight match, 1-0, against conference foe UT Martin. 

Caldon’s heroics have propelled EKU’s late season surge and have the Colonels (6-7-2, 4-2 OVC) in sole possession of second place and within striking distance of the OVC Tournament.

“Three straight game-winners really says something about her and what she brings to this team,” sophomore goalkeeper Stephanie Lynch said of Caldon.

After a scoreless first half in which the Colonels were outshot 6-2, Caldon found the back of the net just three minutes into the second stanza. Dribbling through the defenders, the senior from Independence, Ky. launched a shot from right of the goal that sailed over the Skyhawk keeper’s head and into the net.

The Colonel defense took it from there as Lynch and the rest of the Colonel backline held the UT Martin offense scoreless for the remainder of the match. Lynch played all 90 minutes of the match, making four saves while recording her fifth shutout of the season.

“We really played our style today,” junior defender Eva Hollenberg said. “Last weekend, we played really frantic. But today we moved the ball around, kept possession and played with a lot more confidence.”

The Colonels’ four-match winning streak is the first in program history.

“After four years, it’s great for our seniors to finally be so close,” Lynch said. “We’ve worked for this all year.”

The Colonels will face the first place team in the conference, Murray State, on Sunday at home in a match with huge OVC Tournament implications. Game time is 1:00 p.m.