Box Score

MARTIN, Tenn. – The No. 3 Eastern Kentucky University soccer team played No. 6 SIUE to a scoreless draw in the first round of the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament on Thursday night at host UT Martin’s Skyhawk Field; however, SIUE advanced to the semifinals on penalty kicks, 5-4.

EKU (10-7-3, 6-3-1 OVC) concluded its historic season having set program marks for wins (10), conference wins (6), goals (22), assists (18) and shots (253). The Colonels also went undefeated at home (8-0-1) for the first time in program history.

“Penalty kicks have to be the worst way to lose in any sport,” head coach Lindsay Basalyga said. “I’m proud of the way we competed and battled through 110 minutes of soccer. We’ve spent this season living in the present and haven’t really looked back on the past, but we’re a completely different team than we were this time last year. We played with confidence, composure and focus, which was light years ahead of the 2011 tournament. We have so much to be proud of this season, and I know the players feel like they let a lot of people down, including themselves, but we’ll continue to define ourselves to our own standards and strive for a championship.”

SIUE (7-7-4, 4-4-1 OVC) outshot EKU during regulation (17-9) and the two overtime periods (5-1); however, freshman goalkeeper Erika Wolfer made five key saves and the Colonels were able to keep the Cougars off the board, laying the groundwork for a dramatic shootout.

SIUE’s Sarah Doggendorf, Hope Jones, Kourtney Price, Michelle Auer and Jennifer Tucker all converted their kicks. EKU’s first four, juniors Lauren Fant and Brittany Nomady, freshman Mikala Ferguson and junior Nikki Donnelly, all responded with makes. However, the Colonels’ fifth, sophomore Paige Larkin, fired a shot waist-high at SIUE goalkeeper Jennifer Pelley, who dove to her right to make the decisive save and send the Cougars on to the semifinals.

SIUE will face No. 2 Austin Peay in the second game of the semifinals on Friday night at 8:00 p.m. ET.

It is the second time in the last five years EKU has been eliminated from the OVC Tournament on penalty kicks. UTM edged EKU in a shootout, 4-3, in the 2008 semifinals in Murray, Ky.

Donnelly led EKU with five shots on the night, two of which were on goal. Nomady, meanwhile, attempted three shots, two of which were on goal.

In her final appearance as a Colonel, senior Deja Tennon – the all-time games played leader in program history (76) – played all 120 minutes on an EKU backline that earned its fifth shutout of the fall. Nomady, Larkin and sophomore #Emily D’Italia also went the distance for EKU. Senior Hayley Wright# played 95 minutes up front in her final game as a Colonel.

“At the end of the day, our seniors saw four postseason appearances, we had our first winning season and an 8-0-1 home record,” Basalyga added. “That’s a heck of an accomplishment for a program that has only been around for eight years.”