MOREHEAD, Ky. – It was not the outcome for which the Morehead State women's soccer team had hoped, but the 0-0 tie at SIU Edwardsville was enough to keep the team's postseason hopes alive.
The Eagles played evenly with the Cougars on a windy Senior Day Sunday at the Ralph Korte Stadium in Edwardsville, Ill., and that was enough to snap a pair of skids, seven straight games on the road and six overall contests.
"(I) thought we played well. (We) created a decent amount. (We) just missed that final piece of putting it in the back of the net," MSU head coach
Paul Cox said. "(I'm) just happy our season is still alive and in our hands."
Morehead State (3-13-1/1-6-1) picked up its first tie since a 0-0 result against Tennessee Tech in the semifinals of the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament on November 7, 2024.
Next Sunday, the Eagles will play for a chance to return to their fifth consecutive league tournament when they host Southeast Missouri for the final spot in the eight-team field.
Sunday was MSU's second straight tie against the Cougars after the two teams finished knotted at 1-1 last October in Morehead, Ky.
The score was even despite SIUE (3-10-4/2-3-3) having an edge in shots (17-13), corner kicks (10-5), saves (8-5) and time of possession (52 percent to 48 percent).
Morehead State made some lineup changes for the match, including returning sophomore forward
BB Bonzheim, senior midfielder
Kamryn Baquero, freshman midfielder
Charlotte Lee and sophomore goalkeeper
Claire Cress to the starting lineup. The moves seemed to pay off, especially in net, where the team earned its first shutout since a 1-0 win against Western Illinois nearly a month ago. It was Cress' fifth career complete-game shutout, moving her into sole possession of eighth place in the MSU record book.
Yet, the result was because of a total team effort.
"Everyone stepped up when it meant the most. It was a great team effort, and we have a lot left to play for," Cress said. "We have a big challenge next week, but I know my team will be ready."
SIU Edwardsville played most of the game without starting junior defender Audrey Roberts, who went down with an injury in the 25th minute and did not return.
Both teams had quality scoring opportunities.
In the first half, SIUE's Aleah Minehart had two golden chances. In the 32nd minute, after Cress was unable to control a cross from Savannah DeFini, Minehart gathered the rebound and, just yards from the goal on the right side, kicked it over the goalpost.
Then four seconds before halftime, Minehart took a shot that Cress saved, but deflected to the left post, where it bounced horizontally and literally rolled just off the goal line for the entire length of the net without crossing it before it was scooped up by the Eagle defense. It was so close to going in that halftime was halted as the officials used Video Assistant Referee to make sure it was not a goal.
Less than five minutes after the start of the second half, Claire Nieroda had an 8-yard shot off a pass from DeFini that was stopped by Cress, who made a diving save to her right.
MSU's best chance game after Bonzheim had a low 25-yard blast through traffic off a corner that Cougar goalkeeper Sarah Bozeman had to dive to her right to save at 65:09.
Bonzheim followed with another opportunity nearly three minutes later that Bozeman also saved.
With the wind at its back in the second half, Morehead State ratcheted up its production by unleashing 11 shots. The Eagles had a pair of corner kicks in the final eight minutes, but the best they could get was a single shot by senior midfielder
Kennedy Baquero. MSU had the last four shots of the game, all within the final 11 minutes. SIUE's last attempt came at 77:02.
Morehead State's 13 shots marked the 10th straight game it reached double digits.
Freshman forward
Jade Walton and
Kennedy Baquero each led the Eagles with three shots. Nieroda had a game-best four for the hosts.
Cress finished with five saves. Bozeman had eight.
MSU had more fouls (9-6) than SIUE, as well as both offside calls and the lone yellow card that was awarded. The Blue and Gold spent 57 percent of its time with the ball on the attack, while the Cougars spent 69 percent of their possession on the Eagle defensive side of the field.
The tie secured SIU Edwardsville's spot in the OVC Tournament. It finished its campaign at home with a 2-5-3 record and undefeated in its last five games.
Morehead State will face Southeast Missouri next Sunday at 2 p.m. in a winner-take-all bid to advance to the OVC's postseason event. The first round of the league tournament will begin on Thursday, Oct. 30. The MSU-SEMO winner will travel to Lindenwood or Eastern Illinois and face either Southern Indiana, UT Martin or SIUE in its opening match.
