BOX SCORE

RICHMOND, Ky. – The Eastern Kentucky University women’s soccer team dropped its third straight game on Friday afternoon as the Colonels fell to Wright State, 3-0, at home. The loss drops EKU to 1-4-0 on the year while the win improves WSU to 2-2-0.

Familiar pitfalls plagued EKU in the game as the Colonels again fell behind early (WSU scored just two minutes into the game) and then allowed a goal off a corner kick later in the first half.

Head coach Lindsay Basalyga stressed after the game that playing WSU, even at home, was a tough challenge for her young team. The Raiders were picked to finish second in the Horizon League before the season began and came to EKU Soccer Field fresh off a 2-1 win at Middle Tennessee State last weekend.

“Wright State is a very good team,” Basalyga said. “In fact, this is the toughest non-conference schedule we have ever played. So the next four games aren’t going to get any easier. We have to work on our consistency in training. If we can get consistency in training, I think it will carry over to our games.”

Just 2:17 into the game, Amber Kasmer beat the EKU defense, received a pass from Brittany Persaud and got a shot past senior Stephanie Lynch to give the Raiders a very early 1-0 lead.

In the 18th minute, Persaud set up another goal as she found Bekah Bonny on a corner kick, who headed it in to put WSU up 2-0.

The Colonel defense clamped down after the second goal, until the 71st minute when Persaud scored a goal of her own, this one off an assist from Morgan Butler, to give the Raiders an insurance score.

EKU outshot WSU in the game, 12-8. The Colonels especially revved it up on the offensive end in the second half when they took 10 shots to the Raiders two.

Freshman Hillary Cooper led all Colonels with three shots while senior Carly Muller attempted two. Freshmen Nicole Donnelly and Kristan Paynter took the Colonels’ only two shots on goal.

Junior Stephanie Murray and sophomore Hayley Wright played all 90 minutes of the game on the Colonel backline.

“We definitely saw some glimpses of what we’re capable of doing,” Basalyga said. “Some underclassmen, in particular, played very well today. But you have to play a complete game at this level. You have to play all 90 minutes.”

The Colonels return to action on Sunday afternoon when they travel to play Valparaiso at 2:00 p.m.