BOX SCORE
RICHMOND, Ky. – Trailing 2-0 heading into halftime, the Eastern Kentucky University women’s soccer team staged a valiant second-half comeback against in-state rival Morehead State on Friday, sending the match into overtime before eventually falling, 3-2.
The Colonels (2-6-1, 0-1 OVC) furiously scored two unanswered goals in the second stanza, but MSU midfielder Bethany Davidson scored five minutes into sudden death overtime to send the Eagles (4-7, 1-0 OVC) home with their first conference win of the season.
“I am very proud of the girls,” head coach Lindsay Basalyga said. “I am very proud of the way the whole team responded after halftime. They set the tone in the second half.”
Morehead State jumped on the Colonels early as forward Erin Adams received a quick pass from Kimmie Beiting and scored the Eagles’ first goal just 34 seconds into the match.
MSU would build on that lead in the 38 minute when forward Jillian Birchmeier was awarded a penalty kick and capitalized on it, firing a shot past EKU goalkeeper Stephanie Lynch and giving the Eagles a comfortable 2-0 lead going into the break.
After halftime, the Colonel offense finally came to life. In the 62nd minute, freshman midfielder Jessica Reed lofted a near-perfect cross to senior forward Kayla Swearingen who headed the ball past the Morehead State keeper and into the net, narrowing the deficit to 2-1. It was Swearingen’s second goal of the season.
Thirteen minutes later, sophomore forward Alex Hartwick fired an unassisted shot from about 25 yards out that found the upper right side of the net, evening the score at 2-2.
Despite the inspiring second-half rally, five minutes into the first overtime, MSU forward Devan Jordan found Davidson near the goal, who poked it past Lynch for the game winner.
Morehead narrowly out shot the Colonels on the day, 16-15.
Lynch played all 95 minutes at keeper for the Colonels and made nine saves.
The Colonels return to action on Sunday when they travel to Francis Marion to take on the Patriots. Game time is set for 1:00 p.m.
