BOX SCORE

MOREHEAD, Ky. – The No. 5 seed Eastern Kentucky University women’s soccer team fell to No. 4 Eastern Illinois, 2-1, on Thursday evening in the first round of the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament at Morehead State’s Jayne Stadium. EIU forward Ashley Streid’s goal in the 72nd minute proved to be the game-winner.

“I’m disappointed for our seniors,” head coach Lindsay Basalyga said. “They worked so hard to get us to the OVC Tournament three years in a row, and they deserved better.”

The Colonels end their 2010 campaign with a record of 7-10-2 (4-4-0 OVC). The Panthers advance to the semifinals to play regular season champion Morehead State on Friday at 5:00 p.m.

EIU struck first when the Panthers’ leading scorer Kristin Germann was fouled in the box in the 41st minute and scored on the ensuing penalty kick.

EKU’s response was swift, though, as, less than two minutes later, sophomore Katie Collar found senior Carly Muller, who crossed the ball to senior Courtney Nestor, who scored to tie the score at 1-1 with three minutes remaining in the first half. Nestor’s momentum-shifting goal was the first postseason score in program history.

Midway through the second half, though, EIU retook the lead when Streid lofted a shot from the left side of the goal that sailed over senior goalkeeper Stephanie Lynch’s head and into the back of the net.

The Colonels nearly tied it in the 84th minute when sophomore Deja Tennon received a corner kick from freshman Brittany Nomady and fired an on-target shot, but EIU goalkeeper Jessica Taldone, who was playing in the stead of injured first team All-OVC goalkeeper Kaylin Lorbert, made a spectacular save that preserved the Panthers’ lead and sealed the win.

“I love the way the team played in the first half and the way they responded to EIU’s first goal,” Basalyga said. “But they played with no emotion in the second half, and you can’t win games in tournaments if you don’t bring emotion and guts to the field.”

EIU barely outshot EKU in the game, 10-9; however, eight of the Panthers’ 10 shots were on goal while only three of EKU’s nine were on goal. Muller, Nestor and freshman Nicole Donnelly led the Colonels with two shots apiece. Streid paced the Panthers with three shots, all of which were on goal.

In her final appearance as a Colonel, Lynch played all 90 minutes of the game and made six saves. Taldone made two stops for EIU.

Despite another tough postseason loss, Basalyga remained optimistic for 2011, especially considering the youth of her team.

“We’re a young team,” Basalyga said. “But the best thing about freshmen is that they become sophomores. The improvement we make this spring will be absolutely huge for the future of our program.”