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MOBILE, Ala. – Once again the Morehead State soccer team (4-2-2) showed it’s resiliency after battling the South Alabama Jaguars (7-1-1) for 110 minutes, resulting in the Eagles second-consecutive 2-2 double overtime tie at The Cage in Mobile, Ala.
For most of the opening period of the Match, the Morehead State Eagles controlled possession of the ball, combining passes for crosses from both wings and opportunities in the South Alabama defensive third. The hard work would pay off very late in the first half, as senior midfielder
Brittany Kiracofe scored her third goal of the season in the 44th minute of the match. The goal developed off of a throw-in deep in the Eagles’ offensive third. Freshman forward
Ali Hawksford threw the ball into fellow freshman forward
Elizabeth McSparin, who flicked the ball into the Jaguar six-yard box. The ball bounced off a couple of South Alabama defenders before landing at the feet of Kiracofe. The senior would then finish the ball straight into the back of the net for the 1-0 Eagle lead.
MSU continue to play strong into the second half, but South Alabama would not give up so easily on their home field. The Jaguars would put in the equalizing goal 17 minutes into the second half, in the 62nd minute. South Alabama’s Brandi Smith gained possession of the ball close to the 18-yard box and dribbled at the Eagle goal. Smith then blasted a shot into the bottom right corner of the net, past diving senior goalkeeper
Katie Blevins.
The Jaguars wouldn’t long after Smith’s goal to score their second goal of the match. Two minutes after Smith’s goal, USA’s Landi Wilson gave the Jaguars a 2-1 lead. South Alabama’s Lindsey Snavely played a through ball to Wilson, who ran onto the ball just inside the 18-yard box. Blevins came off her line to try and cut off the angle, but Wilson was able to fire the ball past Blevins and gave the Jaguars their first lead of the night at 2-1.
The Eagles were able to battle through the momentum change after giving up two second half goals. As the clock continued to move, Morehead State picked up its intensity and work-rate, pushing for the equalizer. In the 82nd minute of the match, McSparin would prove to be the Eagle hero, scoring the second Eagle goal of the match and equalizing the match at 2-2. Hawksford played the ball through to McSparin ran onto a pass by Hawksford, beat her defender to the end line and fired a shot from the far left wing. McSparin’s shot would sail high into the air and over the South Alabama goalkeeper Melissa Drish, hitting the right post and into the goal. It was the freshman’s first goal of her Eagle career.
The match would head to overtime when neither team could score another goal before regulation ended. In the overtime periods, Morehead State would dominate most of the play and control of the ball, but was unable to finish in the final third. After two 20 minute periods, the match would end in a 2-2 tie.
MSU outshot South Alabama 27-13 in the match, including a 22 to eight advantage in the second and overtime periods. Individually the Eagles were led by senior forward
Devan Jordan with six shots, Kiracofe with four shots, and junior midfielder
Alyssa Nacke with three shots. Jordan also led the team in shots on goal with three. Blevins tallied five saves on the night, while Jaguar goalkeeper Melissa Drish had 11. For the match, the Eagles earned six corners to USA’s two. The match was a physical one, with both teams combining for 29 fouls, including a yellow card awarded to South Alabama’s Brandi Smith.
Morehead State continues its road trip on Sunday, Sept. 18th, as the Eagles battle SEC-foe Alabama in a 2 p.m. ET contest in Tuscaloosa, Ala. A live blog of the match will be available on MSUEagles.com.
