Box Score I 2011 OVC Tournament Bracket

RICHMOND, Ky. – The Eastern Kentucky University women’s soccer team fell to Murray State, 1-0, in its regular season finale on Sunday at EKU Soccer Field. Despite the result, EKU (7-9-3, 5-3-1 OVC) still wrapped up the No. 2 seed and a crucial first-round bye in the upcoming Ohio Valley Conference Tournament.

It is the Colonels’ second regular season conference runner-up finish in the last four years.

“We’re disappointed that we couldn’t get the result for the seniors,” head coach Lindsay Basalyga said. “But when it’s all said and done, we wrapped up our fourth consecutive berth in the OVC Tournament, a No. 2 seed and first-round bye, and that’s what these seniors can hang their hats on. They should be very proud.”

EKU outshot MSU (7-8-3, 4-3-2 OVC), 17-12, in a physical, hard-fought game. However, it was the Racers who were able to capitalize when Maja Nordahl sent Sophie Hargreaves through on a free kick in the 73rd minute. Hargreaves buried a shot from 15 yards out into the lower left corner of the net, and that goal proved to be the game-winner.

Freshman Stephany Ellison came off the bench to lead EKU in the game with five shots. Sophomore Nicole Donnelly, meanwhile, attempted four shots, all of which were on goal.

Freshman goalkeeper Annie Wickett made six saves in the losing effort. Going in to the OVC Tournament, Wickett has not allowed multiple goals in a game since Sept. 9, a streak of 12 games.

EKU’s two Canadian seniors, Heather Bruce and Stephanie Murray, were honored before the game, and both attempted a shot while playing a majority of the game. Their four-year careers have come full circle, as they were both freshmen on the last EKU team to earn a No. 2 seed in the Ohio Valley Conference and automatically advance to the semifinals of the OVC Tournament.

“I wanted to come in and change the program, and I think Murray and I both accomplished that,” Bruce said. “We’ve been through a lot, but we were there for each other and our team was there for us, and we never thought about leaving this program behind. We wanted to finish it out, and we want people to look back and say ‘they were on the first team to get a ring at EKU.’”

“It’s a little bittersweet, because we were really pushing for first place this year,” Murray said. “But just the attitude and emotion that we put into the season says a lot. And, at this point, we’re the most confident we’ve ever been in the four years I’ve been here. We know what we want, and the whole team is on the same page about it.”

The OVC Tournament, which will be hosted by regular season champion Southeast Missouri, is scheduled to start this Thursday, Nov. 3, although EKU will not play until Friday due to its first-round bye. The Colonels will play the winner of No. 3 UT Martin and No. 6 Eastern Illinois on Friday at 5:00 p.m. EST.  More information on the Colonels’ trip to Cape Girardeau will be available this week.