Larbes Scores Pair of Goals as Soccer Wraps Up Regular Season With 2-0 Win at SIUE

BOX SCORE

MOREHEAD, Ky. -- Morehead State fifth-year midfielder Kate Larbes scored a pair of goals, and goalkeeper Erin Gibbs and the Eagle defense recorded the team's seventh shutout as the Eagles ended the regular-season wth a 2-0 blanking of SIUE at the Cougars' Korte Stadium Sunday.

The Eagles, who had already locked up at least the No.2 seed in the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament, did their part to try to win the title. But a 2-1 win earlier in the afternoon by Tennessee Tech sealed TTU's slot as No. 1. As it is, the Eagles finished 6-1-2 - the most league victories since being 7-3 in 2013. MSU also won its last four matches and sits at 7-5-5 overall heading into the tournament. With the two seed, MSU gets a double bye into the semifinals and will play on Nov. 2 at Tech against either No. 3 SIUE, No. 6 Eastern Illinois or No. 7 Southeast Missouri.

MSU also scored its first win over the SIUE program since 2018, having dropped the last six in the series.

In the nine OVC matches, MSU only surrendered three goals to opponents (with an additional one being an own goal).

Despite the Eagles being out shot 10-6, Larbes made her three shots on goal count. She staked MSU to a 1-0 lead at 24:08 after an assist from fellow fifth-year Nicole Fiantaco. Fiantaco's helper tied her for the team lead with four assists this season.

Larbes then scored her fourth goal of the season, which ties her for the team lead with Colleen Swift and Hedda Ornberg, at 80:03 on a penalty kick. An Eagle was taken down in the far corner of the box by SIUE goalkeeper Taylor Spiller. Larbes buried the PK to the bottom corner of the back of the net.

Gibbs was credited with her seventh total shutout of the year, tying for second place in season clean sheets. She made six saves.