Click here for live stats from SEMO!
Click here for live stats from EIU!

RICHMOND, Ky. – Following three straight home games to open the conference season, the red-hot Eastern Kentucky University women’s soccer team will play on the road for the first time since Sept. 19 when the Colonels travel to Southeast Missouri and Eastern Illinois this weekend.

EKU (6-4-2, 3-0-0 OVC) has won an OVC-best five consecutive games and currently sits atop the conference standings. The Colonels will play at SEMO on Friday at 8:00 p.m. and at EIU on Sunday at 2:00 p.m.

“I’m excited to see what this young team is capable of doing on the road,” head coach Lindsay Basalyga said. “It’s nice being at home, playing in front of your family and friends. But when you’re on the road, all you really have to think about is soccer. All those outside influences aren’t there anymore.”

Much of EKU’s recent success can be contributed to its unbending defense which has recorded four shutouts in its last seven games and allowed only three goals during that seven-game span. The last time the Colonel backline allowed more than one goal in a game was the last time the Colonels lost: Sept. 3 against Wright State. Junior center back Stephanie Murray is the foundation of that backline as she has played every minute of every game so far this season. Junior Heather Bruce and sophomores Deja Tennon and Hayley Wright have also logged considerable minutes on, statistically, the best defense in OVC play (0.32 goals against average).

Senior goalkeeper Stephanie Lynch has also been a major cog in the Colonels’ defensive scheme. The two-time second team All-OVC performer picked up her fourth shutout of the season and 21st of her career against Tennessee Tech last Sunday. The Goshen, Ky. native leads the OVC in goals against average (0.32) and save percentage (.938) during conference play.

Led by freshman Nicole Donnelly and senior Carly Muller, the Colonel offense has been effectively opportunistic this season. Donnelly has scored a team-best five goals this year and three game-winners in the Colonels’ last five games. Muller, meanwhile, has scored three goals and buried the game-winner against Tennessee Tech last Sunday.

SEMO enters this weekend with a record of 6-5-0 (2-1-0 OVC), with conference wins over Austin Peay and EIU. The Redhawks’ only conference loss came at Jacksonville State. 2009 second team All-OVC forward Ashley Runion leads SEMO with six goals and four assists.

EKU is 2-3 all-time against SEMO. The Colonels defeated the Redhawks last season at EKU Soccer Field as Muller scored the game-winning goal in the 86th minute.

EIU has a record of 4-8-2 (1-2-0 OVC), with losses to APSU and SEMO and a win over JSU, and will host Morehead State on Friday before playing the Colonels on Sunday. The Panthers are led by Kristin Germann’s four goals (two of which have been game-winners) and the steady play of veteran goalkeeper Kaylin Lorbert, who has the third-best save percentage (.823) in the OVC so far this season.

EKU is 1-4 all-time against EIU. The Panthers defeated the Colonels, 1-0, in 2009.

Following this weekend, the Colonels will stay on the road as they play two more away games against JSU (Oct. 15) and APSU (Oct. 17).