Box Score BOX SCORE

ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Four different Colonels scored as the Eastern Kentucky University women’s soccer team earned its second straight win by rolling past host UNC Asheville, 4-0, on Friday afternoon.

“This win definitely gives our backline a whole new confidence,” senior Stephanie Murray said of the Colonels’ first shutout of the season. “It’s a good feeling following the tough games against Louisville and Kentucky.”

Sophomore Kristan Paynter made her first collegiate goal a game-winner as she received a pass from freshman Paige Larkin and found the back of the net just two minutes into the game.

EKU (2-3) made it 2-0 in the sixteenth minute when freshman Devon Saini, the Colonels’ leading scorer, received a pass from sophomore Nicole Donnelly, last year’s leading scorer, and scored from 10 yards out, and then went into halftime up 3-0 after sophomore Lauren Fant scored on a header off a corner kick from freshman Sydney Montgomery in the 23rd minute.

Freshman Ashley Ryan capped off the scoring with a second-half goal in the 70th minute that gave the Colonels a 4-0 advantage.

EKU was whistled for offsides a season-high 14 times in the convincing win.

“They called a lot of offsides on us,” Paynter said. “But we just kept going at them, and hopefully this will give us a lot more confidence going into Sunday’s game at home.”

“The way they defended gave us a different problem to solve,” head coach Lindsay Basalyga said of the offsides. “And I think that will make us a better team moving forward.”

Kaitlyn Eckert led UNC Asheville (0-3) with four shots, three of which were on goal.

Freshman Annie Wickett played all 90 minutes in goal for EKU and made five saves en route to her first career shutout.

Murray and sophomore #Emily D’Italia# both went the distance on an EKU backline that allowed only five shots on goal.

“As a backline, we tried to stay high and win balls in their attack half, so they weren’t constantly running at us,” Murray said of the defense’s success.

EKU will seek its third consecutive win this Sunday when the Colonels host Gardner-Webb at 1:00 p.m. at EKU Soccer Field.

"I'm glad we can walk away with our first road win," Basalyga said. "Now it's just a matter of enjoying the result and refocusing for Sunday's game against Gardner-Webb."