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RICHMOND, Ky. – The Eastern Kentucky University soccer team dominated the second half and nearly rallied from two goals down, but fell just short in a 2-1 loss to visiting UNC Asheville on Friday afternoon at EKU Soccer Field.
 
UNCA (4-2-0) scored a pair of early goals in a span of two minutes to take a seemingly comfortable first-half lead. The first came in the 10^th minute when Amanda Dailor bent a free kick into the upper right corner of the net. Just over two minutes later, Kennedy Garrett fed Paige Trent, who buried another score to give the Bulldogs a quick 2-0 advantage.
 
However, the EKU backline regrouped after the early UNCA flurry, allowing the Colonel attack to take shape. Sophomore Cassie Smith's shot on an open goal sailed just high in the 35^th minute and freshman Emmi Carroll had a nice look at a shot mere minutes later, but it was stopped by UNCA keeper Heather Muller.
 
EKU continued to control the momentum in the second half, as Smith finally got the Colonels on the board in the 59^th minute, dribbling past the UNCA defense and firing in a goal from close range. It was Smith's team-leading third goal of the year.
 
EKU outshot UNCA, 23-9, in the game. Fourteen of the Colonels' shots came in the second half. But, it was not enough.
 
Senior Ashley Ryan lofted a corner kick with eight seconds remaining in the game as the Colonels attempted a last-ditch effort to tie it and force overtime, but Muller made her 11^th save of the day to seal a hard-fought victory that came down to the final whistle.
 
"Soccer can be such a cruel game," head coach Melissa Barnes said. "That is the most complete 90 minutes of soccer that this team has played this year. We conceded two fluky goals in the first 15 minutes and the 23 shots – 10 that were put on frame – weren't enough for the equalizer. We have three games left until conference play and we will continue to work to improve as a team heading into the OVC."
 
Carroll led all players in the game with six shots. Ryan and juniors Dani Cant and Mikala Ferguson all attempted a game-high two shots on goal.
 
Freshman goalkeeper Anna Hall made five saves in the loss.
 
Senior Emily D'Italia – who made a diving save on a ball in the second half after Hall had been pulled out of the goal – led an EKU defense that clamped down after the early UNCA goals. Junior Merrissa Vault and sophomore Mikalya Brillon played all 90 minutes on the Colonel backline. Ferguson also went the distance in the midfield in Friday's contest.
 
EKU (2-4-0) will now host Marshall on Sunday at 1:00 p.m.