CONWAY, Ark. – The Eastern Kentucky University soccer team dropped its road trip finale to Central Arkansas by a score of 2-1 on Sunday afternoon at the Bill Stephens Soccer Complex.
 
EKU (4-7-4, 3-2-3 ASUN) suffered its first loss in six matches and snapped its consecutive point streak at 12. 
 
Freshman Paula Herranz was the highlight for the Colonels in Sunday's loss, scoring a late goal to bring EKU within one.
 
Junior Nerea de Diego led EKU with five shots in the contest, the most of her career.
 
Central Arkansas (7-6-3, 6-1-1 ASUN) opened Sunday's affair applying pressure with an early shot attempt by Kelly Van Gundy. EKU began its counter just four minutes later as Nerea de Diego and Rachel Robinson attempted shots on frame.
 
Despite the Colonels attacking formation, UCA found its break in the 36th converting a goal in the lower right of the frame to go up 1-0.
 
The Sugar Bears converted a penalty kick off an EKU handball in the box with two seconds remaining in the first half to enter the break with a 2-0 lead. EKU led the contest with 10 shots to UCA's seven. De Diego tallied a season-high three shots in the first 45 minutes of the match.
 
EKU opened the second half fiery with four shots, three corner attempts and a free kick that was saved by UCA's Kajsa Pruner. In the next 20 minutes of action, the Colonels attempted two shots that were off target.
 
EKU found the back of the netting in the 78th minute as junior Jami Anderson sent a ball to Herranz just outside the box lofted a shot over the UCA keeper for the score.
 
Herranz's goal was the second of her freshman season. Anderson recorded the first assist of her DI career.
 
With the win, Central Arkansas clinched a berth into the 2023 Atlantic Sun Conference Championship to be played towards the latter half of the month. UCA joins Lipscomb as the only two women's soccer teams to clinch a berth after play on Sunday.
 
EKU returns home with two key matchups at the EKU Soccer Field next week, beginning with Stetson on Thursday, Oct. 12 at 4 p.m.