Box Score

CHARLESTON, Ill. – The Eastern Kentucky University women’s soccer team used an early own goal and strong defense to earn a shutout victory over host Eastern Illinois, 1-0, on Friday afternoon at Lakeside Field in a crucial battle between second and third place teams in the Ohio Valley Conference.

With the win, EKU improves to 6-7-2 (4-1-1 OVC) and tightens its grip on second place in the league standings. The loss drops third-place EIU to 4-8-2 (3-2-0 OVC).

With the game scoreless in the 18th minute, senior Heather Bruce played a dangerous ball off a set piece from 25 yards out to inside the six. Freshman Devon Saini got a touch on the ball, and it deflected off EIU defender Erika Prazma and into the goal.

“A goal is a goal, I don’t care if the referee puts it in the back of the net,” head coach Lindsay Basalyga said. “Obviously, we put EIU under enough pressure to force the own goal. And when you’re on the road, you’ll walk away with three points however you can get it.”

The own goal was all the EKU defense needed, as senior Stephanie Murray, junior Deja Tennon, sophomore Lauren Fant and freshman Paige Larkin all went the distance on a Colonel backline that has now recorded three shutouts, two of which have come during conference play. Freshman goalkeeper Annie Wickett played all 90 minutes in net during the shutout and made two saves.

The gritty win was a piece of EIU’s own medicine, as the Panthers entered Friday’s showdown with the OVC’s top defense, having allowed just one goal in four conference games.

“As a defense, we’ve been winning a lot of 50/50 balls,” Tennon said. “We’ve also been forcing longer shots, which makes it easier on Annie (Wickett) to make saves.”

EKU outshot EIU in the game, too, 17-14. Freshman Kaylynn Brown led all Colonels with three shots, all of which were on goal, while EIU’s Kristin Germann recorded a game-high five shots on the afternoon.

“I think we got a little casual with our decision-making in the first half, but we addressed that at halftime,” Basalyga said. “In the second half, we had a lot of dangerous scoring opportunities. Again, we just need to be savvier around the goal. A win is a win, though. We’ll take it and keep working.”

It is just EKU’s second win ever over EIU in eight games. Both wins have come in Charleston.

The surging Colonels, whose only loss since Sept. 16 was a 1-0 decision to first-place Southeast Missouri last weekend, continue their road trip at SIU Edwardsville on Sunday at 2:00 p.m.

“I think we’re confident at this point, but not cocky,” sophomore Kristan Paynter said. “We know we have games left, and we’re going to approach those games one at a time. We’re not looking towards the tournament, we’re just taking it game by game.”