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RICHMOND, Ky. – The Eastern Kentucky University women’s soccer team will head west this weekend to face Eastern Illinois on Friday at 4:00 p.m. and SIU Edwardsville on Sunday at 2:00 p.m.

The surging Colonels (5-7-2, 3-1-1 OVC) are currently tied for second place with UT Martin near the top of the Ohio Valley Conference standings following a weekend in which they defeated UTM, 2-1, and were narrowly defeated by first place Southeast Missouri, 1-0.

EKU’s crucial win over UTM was fueled by a pair of second half goals by freshmen Ashley Ryan and Paige Larkin. Larkin, who has played 1,223 minutes on a Colonel backline that has surrendered just four goals in five OVC games, was named the adidas OVC Defensive Player of the Week for her efforts, while freshman goalkeeper Annie Wickett, who has not allowed more than one goal in any OVC game this season, was named the adidas OVC Goalkeeper of the Week.

EIU enters this weekend in third place with a record of 4-7-2 (3-1-0 OVC), and the Panther’s defense has been just as impressive as the Colonels’, surrendering just one goal in four OVC games. Kristin Germann leads an opportunistic EIU offense with four goals and two assists. The Panthers have scored OVC wins over Tennessee Tech, Jacksonville State and UT Martin. Like the Colonels, their only conference blemish is courtesy of SEMO.

EKU is just 1-6 all-time against EIU, although the Colonels’ lone win against the Panthers came in Charleston in 2008. EIU eliminated EKU from the 2010 OVC Tournament last November.

In its first official season in the OVC, SIUE comes into the weekend tied for sixth place with a record of 3-7-1 (1-3-0 OVC) and battling for a spot in the OVC Tournament. The Cougars, whose lone OVC win came against TTU, will host fourth-place Morehead State on Friday night. Michelle Auer paces the SIUE offense with three goals and three assists.

EKU is 2-1 all-time against SIUE, although the Colonels fell to the Cougars, 2-0, last year in Edwardsville.