Live Stats

RICHMOND, Ky. – The Eastern Kentucky University soccer team will wrap up the home portion of its regular season schedule this weekend by hosting Ohio Valley Conference foes SIUE on Friday at 4:00 p.m. and Eastern Illinois on Sunday at 1:00 p.m.

This year’s seniors – Deja Tennon and Hayley Wright – will be honored before Sunday’s game against EIU.

EKU (7-6-2, 3-2-1 OVC), which enters the weekend in a four-way tie for third-place in the conference, is looking to bounce back after dropping a pair of games on the road last weekend to Southeast Missouri and OVC leader UT Martin. The Colonels had won four of their last five and were in first place before those losses.

Returning home should help matters. EKU is undefeated (6-0-1) on its home grass this season, including three conference victories over Morehead State, Jacksonville State and Tennessee Tech. The Colonels’ leading scorer, junior Nikki Donnelly, has scored four of her six goals at home, while the EKU backline – led by Tennon, junior Lauren Fant and sophomores #Emily D’Italia and Paige Larkin# – has surrendered just four scores in seven home matches.

That defense will run up against another staunch backline during Friday’s game against SIUE (7-5-2, 4-2-1 OVC), the second place team in the conference. Statistically, SIUE has the OVC’s best defense, as the Cougars have posted eight shutouts and allowed only nine goals in 14 games this fall. Goalkeeper Jennifer Pelley, who has been named the OVC Goalkeeper of the Week five times this season, leads that defense.

EIU (5-11-0, 3-4-0 OVC) is currently in fifth place in the league standings; however, the Panthers have won two of their last three, including a 1-0 victory over Murray State last Sunday at home. EIU also features one of the OVC’s most prolific offensive players in Kristin Germann, who comes into this weekend with five goals and an assist on the season. The Panthers will play Morehead State on Friday night before travelling to Richmond on Sunday.

EKU is 2-2 all-time against SIUE, but 2-0 against the Cougars at EKU Soccer Field. The Colonels, meanwhile, are 2-6 all-time against EIU, but beat the Panthers last year in Charleston on a first half own goal.