BOX SCORE

RICHMOND, Ky. – Freshman Nicole Donnelly stayed hot as she scored two goals, including the game-winner in double overtime, to lead the Eastern Kentucky University women’s soccer team past OVC rival UT Martin, 2-1, for the Colonels’ fourth straight win on Sunday afternoon at EKU Soccer Field.

With the win, EKU improves to 5-4-2 (2-0-0 OVC) on the year and remain unbeaten in conference play.

“This was a team effort, a team win,” head coach Lindsay Basalyga said. “We’re able to walk into these games with the confidence we need based on our hard work in training.”

EKU took an early lead when Donnelly scored in the 17th minute, taking a pass from sophomore Katie Collar, drawing UTM goalkeeper Lauren Mackenzie out of the goal, and firing a shot past from her seven yards out to put the Colonels up 1-0. It was Donnelly’s fourth goal and Collar’s first assist of the season.

The Skyhawks (4-6-1, 0-2-0 OVC) responded, though, in the second half when Brooke Robertson launched a shot from 20 yards out that hit off the crossbar and into the goal, tying the score at 1-1.

The Colonel defense clamped down after that goal, however, and forced overtime. Just two minutes into the second overtime, senior Carly Muller fired a shot that Mackenzie saved, but Donnelly followed the shot and scored on the rebound to give EKU the crucial conference victory. The Cincinnati native has now scored three game-winners in EKU’s last four games.

“The team is young, but they’re playing like mature veterans,” Basalyga said. “And, again, that’s a product of hard work and training.”

Senior goalkeeper Stephanie Lynch played all game in goal for the Colonels and made seven saves, several of them spectacular, while allowing just one goal.

Mackenzie played all game for the Skyhawks and recorded five saves.

The Colonel backline, which has now allowed just three goals in EKU’s last six games, was led by juniors Stephanie Murray and Heather Bruce and sophomores Deja Tennon and Hayley Wright, all of whom played all 103 minutes of the game.

“The forwards have been working hard for us, so we want to work hard for them,” Bruce said of the team’s backline. “We’re a team.”

EKU continues conference play next weekend when the Colonels host Tennessee Tech on Sunday, Oct. 3 at 1:00 p.m.