BOX SCORE

RICHMOND, Ky. – The Eastern Kentucky University women’s soccer team fell to OVC opponent Tennessee Tech, 2-1, in overtime Friday afternoon at EKU Soccer Field. Forward Jenn Hoffman scored two goals, including the sudden death game-winner, to lead the Golden Eagles to the victory.

"We're at a point in our program where the players have to be able to inspire themselves and each other," head coach Lindsay Basalyga said. "I can walk into the locker room and deliver the most inspiring, heart-wrenching pregame speech, but if the players aren't intrinsically motivated to compete on any given day, we're not going to get the results we're technically and tactically capable of." 

The Colonels (3-7-1, 0-1-1 OVC) outshot the Golden Eagles (3-8-1, 2-1-0 OVC), 16-6, on the day.

“It doesn’t come down to statistics anymore,” junior midfielder Alex Raich said. “It comes down to our desire to win and our ability to finish games.”

After a scoreless first half in which EKU outshot TTU, 7-3, freshman forward Deja Tennon broke loose, dribbling past the defense and scoring her first career goal in the 67th minute to give the Colonels a 1-0 lead.

With 16 minutes remaining in regulation, however, Hoffman took a pass from Keri Reid and fired a shot from the left side of the goal, about 12 yards out, that got past the hands of EKU junior keeper Stephanie Lynch to tie the score.

The first 90 minutes of play ended in a 1-1 tie and the game progressed into sudden death overtime.

Hoffman scored her second goal of the game in the seventh minute of overtime, this one off a pass from Julie Thompson, to give the Golden Eagles the important conference victory.

Sophomore midfielder Jessica Reed led the Colonels with three shots on the day.

Lynch played the entire game for EKU and recorded one save.

The Colonels will try to pick up their first conference win on Sunday when they host Jacksonville State at EKU Soccer Field at 1:00 p.m.

“The coaches have done everything they can do and we’ve done everything we can do in practice,” Raich said. “Now it just comes down to executing it in games.”