LIVE STATS

COMPLETE OVC STANDINGS

RICHMOND, Ky. – The Eastern Kentucky University women’s soccer team will play for a spot in the OVC Tournament this weekend when the Colonels host Eastern Illinois and Southeast Missouri State at EKU Soccer Field in 2009’s final set of regular season games.

EKU (4-9-3, 1-2-3 OVC) enters the weekend in seventh place in the conference while Eastern Illinois (6-5-5, 2-1-2 OVC) and Southeast Missouri (7-5-2, 2-1-2 OVC) are tied for fifth place. The top six teams in the conference earn a spot in the conference tournament, thus one team will not make it and a variety of scenarios exist.

The Colonels, however, have to win at least one of these last two games to have a shot at a tournament berth.

Eastern Illinois will play at Morehead State on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. while Southeast Missouri will face the Eagles on Friday night at 7:00 p.m. before travelling to Richmond. Morehead State (7-6-3, 4-0-2 OVC) is the first-place team in the conference.

EKU is 1-3 against Eastern Illinois all time; however, the Colonels defeated the Panthers, 2-1, in Charleston last year by scoring two unanswered goals in the second half. Current Colonel, junior Alex Raich, scored the first of those two goals.

This year, Eastern Illinois is led offensively by Rachel Hamilton (three goals, five assists) and Ashley Streid (four goals, one assist).

Panther keepers Jenny Williams and Kaylin Lorbert, meanwhile, have combined to record five shutouts this season.

EKU was also winless against Southeast Missouri until last year when the Colonels defeated the Redhawks 1-0 on the road.

Southeast Missouri has been paced by Bobbi Jo Schlick (five goals, one assist) and Ashley Runion (four goals, three assists) in 2009.

Keeper Ashley Starkey was recently named OVC Co-Goalkeeper of the Week (sharing the award with EKU’s Stephanie Lynch).

The Colonels’ forte in OVC play has been defense. A veteran EKU backline, led by seniors Maddy Shumaker, Jessica Goshert and Eva Hollenberg, has recorded four shutouts in only six conference games this season. Lynch, meanwhile, has been named OVC Goalkeeper of the Week twice in 2009 and leads the league in shutouts while being ranked second in save percentage (.857) and goals against average (0.61) during conference play.

Offensively, EKU is led by senior forward Lauren Imsande (three game-winning goals, one assist) and sophomore midfielder Heather Bruce (three assists, one goal).

Friday’s game against Eastern Illinois will be at 4:00 p.m. while Sunday’s game against Southeast Missouri will be at 1:00 p.m. The Colonels’ 2009 senior class – Goshert, Hollenberg, Imsande and Shumaker – will be honored before Sunday’s game.