Austin Peay: Live Stats I Live Video
Belmont: Live Stats I Live Video
RICHMOND, Ky. – The Eastern Kentucky University soccer team will kick off Ohio Valley Conference play on the road this weekend, traveling to Austin Peay on Friday night and Belmont on Sunday afternoon.
Friday's game will get underway at 8:00 p.m. First touch on Sunday is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.
The fresh start is a welcome sight for an EKU team (2-7-0) that has dropped seven straight games.
"We are all looking forward to beginning conference play," head coach
Melissa Barnes said. "Every year the OVC is very competitive and this year will be no different. For us, this fresh start is great and our players have trained extremely hard and prepared very well for our conference opener against Austin Peay on Friday night."
EKU has won its last four OVC openers, including a 1-0 win at Jacksonville State last year. Sophomore
Cassie Smith provided the game-winning assist in that game.
Smith currently leads EKU with four goals this year. The native of Ashburn, Va. has nine scores in her career and is on pace to break the EKU career record of 17.
Freshman forward
Emmi Carroll also played well up front during non-conference play, scoring two goals (including the game-winner at Western Carolina) and dishing out an assist.
APSU (1-7-0) enters conference play having lost six straight contests. The Lady Govs are led by Merritt Monger's two goals on the season.
EKU is 4-3-1 all-time versus Austin Peay. The Colonels defeated the Lady Govs, 3-2, on Senior Day in Richmond last fall. Smith and junior
Amani Thomas both scored in that game.
Belmont dropped to 3-3-2 on the year after a 2-0 loss to Evansville last Friday. The Bruins – who will host Morehead State this Friday before playing EKU on Sunday – are led offensively by Belicia Mendiola's four goals on the year.
EKU is 0-1-1 all-time versus Belmont. The Colonels fell to the Bruins, 2-1, last year at EKU Soccer Field.
Eastern will play its conference home opener against Tennessee Tech on Friday, October 3 at 4:00 p.m.
