Click here for live stats!

RICHMOND, Ky. – The Eastern Kentucky University women’s soccer team, one of only two unbeatens left in the Ohio Valley Conference, returns home this weekend for a crucial stretch in which the Colonels play two of the other top teams in the league, starting with UT Martin on Friday at 4:00 p.m. and ending with Southeast Missouri on Sunday at 1:00 p.m.

EKU (4-6-2, 2-0-1 OVC) is currently tied for third place with UTM (7-4-2, 2-1-1 OVC) with seven points, while SEMO (8-2-1, 4-0-0), also undefeated in league play, sits firmly atop the conference standings with 12 points.

The Colonels are fresh off a conference road weekend in which they went 1-0-1, defeating Tennessee Tech, 2-1, on Friday before playing Jacksonville State to a draw, 1-1, on Sunday. A pair of freshman forwards shined in those games, as Devon Saini scored the game-winner, her team-leading fourth goal of the season, in the 53rd minute of the win over TTU, and Stephany Ellison buried the game-tying goal, her team-leading second of the OVC season, in the waning minutes of regulation in the tie with JSU.

The EKU backline – headed by senior Stephanie Murray, sophomores Lauren Fant and #Emily D’Italia and freshman Paige Larkin# – has surrendered just two goals in three OVC games so far this season.

UTM opened conference play with a 2-2 tie at Murray State, then won two straight games over Austin Peay and SIU Edwardsville before falling to Eastern Illinois, 1-0, at home on Sunday. The high-scoring Skyhawks are second in the OVC with 25 goals this season, and their potent offense is led by Rosaelia Loza, who leads the conference with 48 shots and is third with eight goals, and Hannah McGowen, who has recorded two goals and a team-leading four assists.

EKU is 2-4-1 all-time against UT Martin; however, the Colonels defeated the Skyhawks, 2-1, last year at EKU Soccer Field. Sophomore Nicole Donnelly scored a pair of goals in that game, including the game-winner in double overtime.

SEMO has been the most dominant team in the conference in the early part of league play, by far. The unbeaten Redhawks have scored 11 goals and allowed just one in four OVC games. Erin Shulman leads SEMO with nine goals, a league-leading four of which have come during OVC play. Goalkeeper Ashton Aubuchon, meanwhile, has recorded three shutouts in four conference games.

EKU is 2-4-0 all-time against SEMO. The Redhawks edged the Colonels, 1-0, last year in Cape Girardeau.