Nick Kendall
Staff Writer
nkendall1@murraystate.edu
Murray State women’s soccer season has come to an end after a 2-1 semifinal loss to the Belmont University Bruins.
Before the game, the two-seeded Racers outscored the three remaining teams 13-0 during the regular season.
Senior forward Miyah Watford put the Racers ahead early in the seventh minute after a goal from a corner kick by sophomore forward Abby Jones.
Six minutes later, the six-seeded Bruins equalized the game when sophomore defender Rachel Vernon scored on a corner kick from freshman midfielder Kameron Ziesig.
Murray State had a chance to take the lead at the fourteen minute mark after Watford was fouled in the penalty box. Jones took the penalty kick but just missed the left corner of the goal.
Belmont took the lead in the first half. Senior forward Niki Clements got the ball at midfield and zoomed past the Racer defense before sneaking the ball past freshman goalkeeper Jamie Skarupsky into the bottom left of the goal.
At the half, Murray State had six shots on goal and the Bruins’s goalkeeper Lily Herman had five saves.
The Racers stepped it up in the second half and were able to get another six shots on goal on corner kicks and other fouls, but came up empty.
The Bruins didn’t score again either but their tough defense kept the Racers coming up just short of the goal and earned their semifinal victory.
Murray State ends the season with an 11-8 record (8-2 in the OVC) and will look to return to the OVC Championship next year.
Belmont went on to become OVC Champions, defeating SIUE by winning in a penalty kick shootout 3-2.