Nick Kendall and Keaton Faughn
Staff Writer & Contributing Writer
nkendall1@murraystate.edu & kfaughn1@murraystate.edu
During a weekend full of games and festivities, Murray State soccer went 1-1 in their games against Jacksonville State University and Austin Peay.
Murray State vs. Jacksonville State
Murray State soccer loses its second conference match 3-2 to the Jacksonville State University Gamecocks on Friday, Oct. 18.
The Racers started out strong with a goal from sophomore midfielder Arianna Mendez in the fifth minute.
Jacksonville State answered back soon after with a left-footed shot from sophomore midfielder Reilly Kucko that flew over sophomore goalkeeper Cera Prather.
The Gamecocks took the lead in the 29th minute with a goal from freshman forward Cynthia Bagozzi.
Both teams had chances to score again before half time, but all shots missed just wide of the goal.
In the 67th minute, freshman midfielder Lauren Payne rocketed the ball into the back of the net from a cross, trying the game 2-2.
Six minutes later, the Gamecock’s Bagozzi fought off multiple Racer defenders in the box and gave her team lead.
Murray State tried one last time for an equalizer on an 89th minute corner kick. The kick was well placed but a foul was called on freshman defender Saraya Young.
This game marked the first conference win for Jacksonville State, snapping their nine-game losing streak. This is the Racers’ second loss in a row after falling to Tennessee Tech last Friday.
Murray State vs. Austin Peay
Returning home for the first time since Sept. 29, the Murray State women’s soccer team hosted Austin Peay in a First Financial Bank Battle of the Border at Cutchin Field Sunday.
While the regulation 90 minutes was not enough to see a winner, the Racers bested the Governors in double overtime with a score of 2-1.
Austin Peay started things off in the 17th minute of play when sophomore forward Ashley Wittaker found the back of the net, giving the Governors a 1-0 lead. The Racers answered in the 30th minute when sophomore midfielder Arianna Mendez capitalized on a long-rage shot, finding the top corner of the next and bringing the score to 1-1 with 15 minutes remaining in the first half.
Outshooting Austin Peay by 16-5 heading into the second half, the Murray State remained locked in with a score of 1-1 throughout the next 45 minutes of play. The Racers remained on the offensive, attacking throughout the second half, but were never able to create another scoring opportunity despite outshooting the Governors 10-2 in the final 45 minutes of regulation.
With a scoreless second half in the books, overtime was needed in order for a winner to be decided. After a scoreless first period of overtime, the Racers found what they had been looking for five minutes into the second overtime. Sophomore forward Abby Jones curled the ball from the edge of the penalty area, sneaking it into the net to secure a 2-1 double-overtime victory for the Racers in front of a full crowd.
Mendez’s regulation goal brought her to three total goals this season, and the game-winner from Jones brings her season total to four goals this year.
“I thought it was a great performance to be honest,” Head Coach Matt Lodge said. “I think they were dominant from start to finish. Credit to Austin Peay—they made things difficult. I said that we’d have to grind this out and [we] did. I thought our midfield was fantastic and our back four were really good today.”
Senior forward Miyah Watford’s overtime assist brings her point total to a team-best 29, tying the Murray State single-season points record that has been held by Harriet Withers since 2015 and was first set by Julie Mooney in 2014.
The Racers look to improve their record of 9-7 on Friday, Oct. 25, taking on Belmont University as they play their final weekend of the regular season, with a 4 p.m. kickoff in Nashville, Tennessee.