MOREHEAD, Ky. | The Morehead State women's soccer team is looking to post its first undefeated preseason since at least 2017 as it travels to face Ohio on Saturday at 4 p.m. at Chessa Field in Athens, Ohio.
The Eagles are coming off a road win over Chicago State on Wednesday in the preseason opener. It is the first time since 2022 that all MSU exhibition games will be played away from home.
Last year, MSU split its exhibition contests, defeating Brescia (Ky.) 2-0 at home before falling to Cincinnati on the road 2-1.
Head coach
Paul Cox's goals for Saturday's game are simple.
"Expectations are the same as CSU, to have a good performance and come away healthy," he said.
Although the Chicago State game did not count for official statistics, the Eagles have held their last three opponents scoreless, a stretch that has reached 472 minutes and 54 seconds.
The 2026 squad includes 17 returnees and nine newcomers, including five freshmen and four transfers. Cox is entering his third season at the helm.
As a team in 2025, the Eagles averaged 0.44 goals and assists per game, 10.9 shots per game, 2.72 corner kicks per game, 8.17 fouls per game, 1.06 offside flags per game, 5.22 saves per game and 0.67 cards per game. Its opponents tallied 2.06 gpg, 2.0 apg, 15.1 shots per game, 5.83 ckpg, 8.67 fpg, 1.56 offside calls per game, 4.06 saves per game and 0.83 cpg.
On Wednesday, freshman midfielder
Kendall Anderson scored three times, with freshman forward
Gaia Fubelli and junior forward
Ashton Lynam recording two goals apiece. Sophomore midfielder
Addison Petry had the other brace. Redshirt junior
Keara Chaffee, sophomore defender
Faith Peper, senior midfielder
Molly Tapak, sophomore defender
Kennedy Harmon, Fubelli and Petry all had one assist. Redshirt sophomore
Allie Lammers, freshman
Amira Hendrick and redshirt freshman
Hannah Sullivan each played 30 minutes in net and registered a shutout. None of the three was forced to make any saves.
In the preseason release from the conference, senior defender
Hannah Burke and Peper were each named as OVC "Players to Watch", while the Eagles were picked seventh in the team standings.
Ohio opened its preseason slate at Xavier (Ohio) on Wednesday. Since most women's soccer teams do not post exhibition outcomes, results have not been made available. The Bobcats finished 5-9-5 overall and 3-5-4 and in eighth place in the Mid-American Conference last year. The league has not announced a preseason ranking or list of top players.
OU returns 17 players, including 11 letter winners, five of which were starters. Headlining the group are junior midfielder Iro Fakinou (four goals, one assist, nine points, 19 shots), senior forward/midfielder Jaimason Brooker (one goal, four assists, six points, 35 shots) and senior midfielder Kate Robinson (two goals, two assists, six points, 21 shots). Last year's starting goalkeeper, Celeste Sloma, graduated after having played every minute in net in 2025.
This past season, Ohio averaged 1.05 gaa, 0.79 apg, 13.40 shots per game, 4.32 ckpg, 9.63 fpg, 2.53 offside flags per game, 3.58 saves per game and 0.58 cpg. Its opponents tallied 1.05 gpg, 1.25 apg, 9.0 shots per game, 3.37 ckpg, 9.63 fpg, 1.37 offside calls per game, 4.32 saves per game and 0.95 cpg.
In 2025, the Bobcats faced three similar opponents to MSU, Marshall (2-1 loss at home), Northern Kentucky (1-1 tie at home) and Miami-Ohio (3-0 loss at home). OU finished 2-5-3 on its own field last year.
Aaron Rodgers is the team's head coach. He has been at the helm for 14 years and owns a 105-114-32 overall record.
The Eagles have faced Ohio five times in regular season play, with the Bobcats holding a 4-1 series advantage. The teams last met in 2013, with OU winning 3-1 at home. In 2010 (a 4-2 OU victory) and 2012 (a 1-0 OU win), the contests took place at Morehead State. In 2009, Ohio won 2-1 at home. MSU won 2-1 in Athens, Ohio, in 2011.
Morehead State begins the regular season on the road at Marshall on Thursday, Aug. 13 at 7 p.m. The Eagles' home opener will be on Sunday, Aug. 16 against Brescia (Ky.) at 1 p.m.
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