MOREHEAD, Ky. – For the second straight year, the Morehead State women's soccer team's postseason hopes will be dictated by the results of its game against Southeast Missouri. And if last year's 1-0 victory over the Redhawks is any indication, the Eagles should be in good shape.
In fact, MSU head coach
Paul Cox is confident in the outcome.
"If we execute what we've done in training this week, we will win the game," he said.
The good news is this year's contest is at home, where the Eagles picked up each of their wins this season (3-6-0). The two teams will meet at 2 p.m. at the MSU Soccer Field in Morehead.
Both clubs are fighting for a spot in the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament and Sunday's winner will get the eighth and final spot.
"SEMO, like us, have had a difficult season and will provide a different test (in comparison) to the last few games," Cox said.
Morehead State (3-13-1/1-6-1) snapped a six-game overall losing streak with a 0-0 tie last Sunday at SIU Edwardsville. That result also ended a string of eight straight road defeats.
However, the Eagles must win Sunday's game, a tie will not do it. Southeast Missouri (2-14-1/2-5-1) owns a better conference record and just needs to avoid a loss. To do so, MSU has to find a way to get the ball into the back of the net. This season, the Blue and Gold has been outscored 37-8. The eight goals are the fewest the team has scored in a non-Covid season in its history. To avoid cementing that mark in the record books, it will need three goals before it hangs up its cleats for the season.
The last time Morehead State finished a non-Covid season with three or fewer wins was in 2017 (3-13-1). The last time it had fewer than four conference points in a season (one win and one tie) was in 2003, when the team finished 0-8-0.
MSU has struggled in the last two years winning after having a week off (1-3-2), although the last time it had seven days between outings, it defeated Western Illinois 1-0 at home.
Prior to the SIUE contest, the Eagles fell to UT Martin at home (2-0), dropped a 4-1 decision at Little Rock and another at home against Tennessee Tech, and was outscored 1-0 at Eastern Illinois. Morehead State has dropped its last three home games.
On the positive side, the Eagles have notched 10 straight outings with double-digit shots.
On the season, the team is averaging 0.47 goals per game, 11.24 shots per game, 4.59 shots on goal per game, 2.82 corner kicks per game, 8.88 fouls per game, 1.06 offside violations per game, 5.35 saves per game and 0.65 cards per game. Its opponents are averaging 2.18 gpg, 15.71 shots per game, 7.35 shots on goal per game, 5.71 corner kicks per game, 9.47 fpg, 1.53 offside violations per game, 4.18 saves per game and 0.77 cpg.
Individually, senior midfielder
Kennedy Baquero continues to lead the team with two goals, one assist and five points. Freshman defender/forward
Faith Peper has two goals and four points. Junior defender/midfielder
Hannah Burke has a team-best four assists and four points. Freshman forward
Jade Walton and graduate student midfielder
Karissa Vela each have one goal, one assist and three points. Seven players have double-digit shots, led by Walton with 37 and Vela with 25.
Sophomore goalkeeper
Claire Cress earned her sixth career complete-game shutout against SIUE, moving her into a tie for sixth place in the MSU record book. This season, she has played in 14 games, has a 3-10-1 record, with a 2.09 goals-against average, 78 saves, a .736 save percentage and four shutouts.
Only one Eagle has played and started in every contest this season, junior midfielder/defender
Hannah Carter.
Southeast Missouri (2-14-1/2-5-1) has dropped its last three games, all by 1-0 scores. It fell to Tennessee Tech at home last Sunday, at SIU Edwardsville the previous Thursday and at home against Eastern Illinois on Sunday, Oct. 12.
The Redhawks started the season by dropping their first 10 games. They then went 2-1-1, before hitting their current streak. They are 1-8-0 on the road this season, having only lost their most recent game against Western Illinois 5-0 on October 9. They are currently riding a 292-minute, 54-second scoreless streak. The Redhawks have been shut out 11 times this season and have been outscored 40-15.
The team is averaging 0.88 gpg, 7.5 shots per game, 3.82 shots on goal per game, 2.82 ckpg, 8.18 fpg, 0.77 offside violations per game, 7.06 saves per game and 1.06 cpg. Its opponents average 2.35 gpg, 17.6 shots per game, 9.41 shots on goal per game, 6.0 ckpg, 10.35 fpg, 2.29 offside violations per game, 2.94 saves per game and 1.12 cpg.
Individually, junior forward Hayley Hogenmiller has a team-best four goals, two assists and 10 points. Hogenmiller adds 12 shots. Junior midfielder Justi Nelson contributes three goals, two assists and eight points. She also leads the squad with 29 shots. Junior forward/midfielder Emily Baker has scored twice, assisted on one goal and tallied five points. Senior forward Melissa Kubin and freshman defender/midfielder Alyssa Schulte each have one goal and one assist. Four other Redhawks have scored. Freshman forward Zernia Markovic has 14 shots, second most on the club.
Four goalkeepers have seen time in the net. Junior Madison Geisler has by far the most minutes played. She is 2-9-1, with a 1.96 gaa, 80 saves, a .777 save percentage and one shutout.
No team member has started every game and only five have seen the field in all 17.
John Klein is in his first season as the team's coach and owns a 2-12-1 record. He is only the second coach in program history. The previous coach, Heather Nelson, was with the program since its inception in 1999. Nelson's daughter is junior midfielder Justi Nelson.
MSU has won the last three matches against the Redhawks by identical 1-0 scores. However, SEMO leads the all-time series 16-9-7. Morehead State won 1-0 in Cape Girardeau, Mo., last fall. In 2023, the teams met twice, once in Morehead and the second time in the OVC Tournament in Cookeville, Tenn. The 2022 affair was tied 1-1 at Southeast Missouri. The Redhawks' last victory (1-0) came at the OVC Tournament in Nashville, Tenn., in 2021. Prior to its recent three-game skid, SEMO was undefeated against the Blue and Gold in nine meetings (2014-2022).
At home, the Eagles sport a 4-6-4 record and have a two-match unbeaten streak, including a 0-0, double-overtime tie in 2021. Southeast Missouri's last win in Kentucky (1-0) came on March 29, 2021.
Last fall,
Hedda Ornberg scored off assists from senior midfielder
Kamryn Baquero and Burke in the 19th minute. SEMO finished with a lead in shots (8-6) and saves (3-2), while MSU held the advantage in corner kicks (6-2). The Blue and Gold also had more fouls (11-10) and offside flags (4-1).
In five of the last seven overall meetings, the score was 1-0. In the other two contests, it was 1-1 (2022) and 0-0 (in 2021).
The two teams have met every season since 1999, except in the calendar year of 2020.
Sunday is National Pumpkin Day and the promotion includes hot chocolate and a s'mores bar. In addition, there will be pumpkin painting. After the game, join the team on the field for a Halloween movie complete with popcorn.
For ticket information, click the link:
https://www.etix.com/ticket/v/16917.
Live stats can be found at the link:
https://shorturl.at/geBAl.
The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ and can be viewed at the link:
https://shorturl.at/M2zgi.
The OVC Tournament will begin on Thursday, Oct. 30. Whichever of today's teams advances to the first round, it will likely face Southern Indiana at either Lindenwood or Eastern Illinois. The second round will take place on Sunday, Nov. 2, with the semifinals (Nov. 6) and finals (Nov. 9) on the campus of the regular-season champion.
