Box Score

RICHMOND, Ky. – Junior Nikki Donnelly scored the game-winner with just under 10 minutes to play in regulation as the Eastern Kentucky University soccer team upended Ohio Valley Conference leader Jacksonville State, 2-1, on Friday afternoon at EKU Soccer Field.

With the win, EKU improves to 6-4-2 (2-0-1 OVC) and remains unbeaten on its home turf (5-0-1). JSU, which came into the weekend undefeated in conference action and having won four straight games, falls to 10-3-1 (3-1-0 OVC) with the loss.

“Overall, I think it was a very solid performance for us,” head coach Lindsay Basalyga said. “I think we dictated the pace and rhythm of the game for a majority of both halves and I think we defended well through all three lines.”

EKU took the lead early in the second half when the Colonels scored on an own goal that got past JSU goalkeeper Katelyn Geddings. The Gamecocks, however, knotted the score in the 72nd minute when Courtney Hurt, JSU’s leading scorer, rebounded a shot by Kelsey Bright that hit the cross bar and found the back of the net, making it 1-1.

Nine minutes later, Donnelly struck again, notching her third game-winning goal of the season and second during OVC play. The goal came off a set piece, as sophomore #Emily D’Italia# delivered a ball to Donnelly, who buried a shot into the lower left corner of the goal. It was Donnelly’s sixth goal of the season, and D’Italia’s second assist.

EKU outshot JSU, 18-9, in the game. Junior Brittany Nomady led all players on the afternoon with five shots, two of which were on goal. Jackie Rush led the Gamecocks with three shots, one of which was on goal.

“Nikki obviously stepped up and scored a huge goal for us off Emily’s set piece,” Basalyga said. “Nikki is a goal scorer and goal scorers find a way to score big goals in big games. But the thing I like the most is that we had 18 chances around the goal and those 18 chances came from a lot of different players, so we aren’t just looking to one player to score all our goals. It just happened to be Nikki on this day.”

The EKU backline, led by D’Italia, senior Deja Tennon, junior Lauren Fant and sophomore Paige Larkin, has now not allowed multiple goals in 12 straight OVC regular season games dating back to the end of 2010.

Freshman goalkeeper Samm Melton also played a large role for the Colonel defense, making her first-career start in the place of injured Erika Wolfer and making three saves, one of which kept the Colonels on top, 1-0, midway through the second half.

“I’m really proud of Samm’s performance today in goal,” Basalyga said. “Being a second-string goalkeeper on a soccer team is the most difficult position on the team and she stepped us huge for us. She made a very key save for us in the middle of the second half t to keep us in the game when it was 1-0.”

EKU returns to action on Sunday when the Colonels host conference foe Tennessee Tech at EKU Soccer Field at 1:00 p.m.