Box Score BOX SCORE

MOREHEAD, Ky. – Freshman Stephany Ellison scored her first collegiate goal Friday evening to lift the Eastern Kentucky University women’s soccer team to a 1-0 win over defending OVC champion Morehead State.

Ellison, a native of Whitesville, N.Y., came off the bench and delivered the lone goal of the contest in the 84th minute. The forward beat Eagle goalkeeper Katie Blevins from 25-yards out with a low shot to the bottom left corner of the goal.

“Getting to play at this level and beating Morehead State is an unbelievable feeling,” Ellison said. “I just wanted to place the shot in the corner and I was finally able to get one in. I really thought the team played well, especially in the second half.”

The Colonels (3-6-1, 1-0 OVC) were able to keep Morehead State (4-4-2, 0-1) off the board thanks to some stellar defensive play in the first half. The host Eagles out-shot Eastern in the opening 45 minutes, 9-1, but goalie Annie Wickett came away with three saves.

“I thought our team showed great resolve against the team picked to win the conference,” EKU head coach Lindsay Basalyga said. “We weathered the storm in the first half and made some key adjustments in the second half. We were close to scoring a few other times in the second half, so I had a feeling that we would eventually come away with a goal.”

EKU had been 0-5-1 all-time against Morehead State until tonight’s victory. This was also the first loss for Morehead State to an OVC team in two years. The Eagles had been 12-0-4 in their previous 16 league contests.

“I knew we were capable of this type of game,” senior captain Heather Bruce said. “It was just a matter of putting all of the pieces together from the non-conference games.”

“This is a great result for our team to start 1-0 in league action, but more importantly this is a huge win for our program,” Basalyga said. “Since the program started in 2005, one of our goals has always been to beat Morehead State. Part of the credit for this win has to go to all of our former players who have laid the foundation for where the program stands today.”

The Colonels have the rest of the weekend off before continuing league play next weekend at Tennessee Tech (Sept. 30) and Jacksonville State (Oct. 2).