HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – When it rains, it pours.
And for the Morehead State women's soccer team, right now seems like a torrential downpour.
The Eagles surrendered five goals, including two own goals, in falling to Northern Kentucky 5-0 on Sunday afternoon at the NKU Soccer Stadium in Highland Heights, Ky.
It was the second straight game Morehead State (1-4) allowed five scores. The result also was both the third straight overall and third straight road defeat.
MSU coach
Paul Cox felt it was déjà vu from Thursday.
Northern Kentucky (3-0-2) extended its overall and home unbeaten streaks to five and seven games, respectively. The Norse also raised their series record against MSU to 8-0-1 and 4-0-1 at home. Sunday was both the most goals and the largest margin of victory in the series.
The opening goal came when Sophia Kapszukiewicz made a long throw into the box that was finished by Lilly Yordy just off the line at the 9:02 mark.
Just 23 seconds later, the second score came off a cross from the left side that a defender attempted to clear, but her kick spun backward and into the net.
The third goal came at 32:23. This time a ball was kicked from the right side that the defender headed backwards and into the goal.
NKU held a 10-4 edge in shots in the first half, prompting MSU to make lineup and format changes.
The moves yielded some positive early results but the Norse was able to get back onto the scoreboard at the 61:49 mark, when Yordy found Natalie Newman for the score.
Yordy tallied the final unassisted goal at 70:28.
Northern Kentucky finished with a 21-11 edge in shots and a 3-2 advantage in corner kicks. Both teams made six saves, had 10 fouls, one yellow card and were flagged for being offside once.
Freshman forward
Jade Walton took a team season-high three shots for Morehead State.
Yordy led all players with a game-best five shots.
Sophomore goalkeeper
Claire Cress played the first 45 minutes and surrendered three goals to suffer the loss and fell to 1-4. She finished with three saves. Redshirt sophomore
Sofia Rodriguez finished the contest and also made three saves. She allowed two goals.
NKU played three keepers. Starter Megan Gessner played for 70 minutes and 13 seconds and made four saves. Grace Kostohryz was in net for 14 minutes and 18 seconds, and recorded one save. Donna Bundy finished the night with five minutes and 29 seconds in the net but did not make a save. The hosts also benefited from a team defensive save.
The game featured the regular-season intercollegiate debut for Sofia Rodriquez and freshman defender
Addison Petry. Rodriquez sat out two seasons at Western Carolina, before transferring to MSU this past spring. Petry had been out of every game this fall, including the preseason, with an injury.
Coupled with Thursday's 5-1 defeat at the hands of Eastern Kentucky, Sunday marked the first time since Sept. 12-14, 2003, that the Eagles gave up five goals in back-to-back games.
Morehead State will be back in action on Thursday, when it hosts Miami (Ohio) at 5 p.m.
