Racers earn victory, prepare for opener

he Murray State women’s soccer team wrapped up their preseason schedule with a 2-1 win over Division II Southern Indiana at Cutchin Field Tuesday.

Led by sophomore forward Julie Mooney’s two goals, the Racers gave the home crowd a small glimpse of what they can look forward to this season.

“I know for the girls it was exciting to play on Cutchin Field and it brings a lot of emotion,” Head Coach Beth Acreman said.

That emotion translated to an exciting and fast-paced start as Mooney scored on a strike from 18 yards to snag the early 1-0 lead. The lead did not last long, though as the Screaming Eagles scored on a header that snuck past freshman goalkeeper Savannah Haberman to tie the game at one.

The Racers stayed tough in the second half, even when Southern Indiana nearly scored on a ball that nicked off the goalpost midway through the second half. The Racers’ game-winning goal came with less than nine minutes in the match. Freshman Taylor Richerson took possession of the ball in the offensive zone and passed it to Mooney, who dribbled to her left and scored her second goal.

“I knew I had to score since we didn’t have that many chances,” Mooney said.

With the two goals against Southern Indiana, Mooney has three of the team’s five goals scored this year.

“I am really excited that she has these goals under her belt,” Acreman said. “We are going to ask her to keep pushing and keep being dangerous.”

The Racers combined for 23 shots, with 10 of them on net. They held their opponent to just 13 shots.

With the preseason concluded, the team turns its eyes to a weekend road trip to begin the 2013 season. Friday, the team plays Evansville at 6 p.m., then travels to Northern Kentucky on Sunday. The Racers return to Cutchin Field Sept. 1 against Arkansas-Little Rock.

 

Story by Tom Via, Contributing Writer

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