BOX SCORE

RICHMOND, Ky. – Freshman Janelle Coates made her first collegiate score count as she buried the game-tying goal in the 36th minute on Sunday afternoon to help lead the Eastern Kentucky University women’s soccer team to a 1-1 draw against in-state rival Western Kentucky in soccer’s version of the Battle of the Bluegrass.

“That was a fun game to coach,” head coach Lindsay Basalyga said. “We had chances to go ahead and they had chances to go ahead. Ultimately, though, it comes down to inches and choices. And we have to start being more comfortable with our choices when scoring opportunities present themselves.”

Coates echoed Basalyga’s sentiments.

“We played with a lot of heart today,” Coates said. “But we have to start putting away chances.”

Richmond native Kaylyn Pratt put the Lady Toppers ahead in the 27th minute when she rebounded a deflected shot by Chelsea Smith and buried it in the bottom left corner of the goal to make it 1-0.

Coates responded less than 10 minutes later when she beat her defender to a goal kick off the foot of senior Stephanie Lynch and launched a ball from over 20 yards out that sailed over the WKU keeper Libby Stout’s head and into the back of the net to tie it. It was the Colonels’ first goal since Aug. 22 against Xavier.

Both teams had numerous opportunities to pull ahead in the second half, EKU’s most memorable being when senior Alex Raich fed a pass to freshman Hillary Cooper whose breakaway shot went just wide of the goal. However, both defenses held firm through two overtime periods and both goalkeepers turned in excellent performances.

Lynch played all 110 minutes for the Colonels and made a season-best nine saves. Stout, meanwhile, made four stops for the Lady Toppers.

Freshman Nicole Donnelly led EKU with four shots on the afternoon while senior Carly Muller attempted a team-best three shots on goal.

Mallory Outerbridge and Shannon Boone led WKU with three shots and two shots on goal apiece.

Juniors Stephanie Murray and Heather Bruce, sophomore Deja Tennon and freshman Tess Akgunduz played all 110 minutes of the game for the Colonels.

“The quality of soccer is there,” Raich said of the team’s performance. “It’s just a matter of being disciplined and not having breakdowns like giving up goals off rebounds.”

The Colonels play Presbyterian at home next Friday and Detroit Mercy on the road next Sunday in their final non-conference weekend of the year.

“We have two more games to define who we are before OVC play starts,” Basalyga said. “It will come down to training and what we do in practice to prepare for these upcoming games.”