Box Score (PDF)
RICHMOND, Ky. – Visiting Murray State scored two goals in the second half to rally past the Eastern Kentucky University soccer team, 2-1, in both teams' Ohio Valley Conference opener on Thursday afternoon at EKU Soccer Field.
EKU led for a majority of the game, thanks to a goal by senior
Amani Thomas in the second minute of action. Thomas scored directly in front of the goal off a beautiful cross from junior
Cassie Smith to give the Colonels a quick 1-0 advantage.
It was Thomas's first goal and Smith's second assist of the year.
Eastern went into the locker room at halftime still up, 1-0, and almost added to its lead early in the second half, but a shot by senior
Mikala Ferguson skimmed off the crossbar in the 52
nd minute.
Five minutes later, Harriet Withers – Murray State's leading scorer – rebounded her own blocked shot and buried the equalizer.
The Racers got the go-ahead goal in the 81
st minute when Caroline Ashton dribbled past a defender and laced a shot into the bottom right corner of the goal.
Smith, sophomore
Jordan Foster and freshman
Monica Rios led EKU with two shots apiece.
Ashton paced the Murray State offense with five shots, three of which were on goal.
Sophomore
Anna Hall played all 90 minutes in goal for the Colonels and made five stops.
Sophomore
Makenna Sullivan and freshman
Kacy Eckley went the distance on the backline for EKU in the defeat.
Murray State (5-3-0, 1-0-0 OVC) arrived in Richmond with the best RPI (128) of any team in the OVC.
EKU returns to action on Sunday when the Colonels host Austin Peay at 1:00 p.m.
