Lady Govs soccer host Lipscomb in home opener, Monday

Austin Peay State University women’s soccer team opens its home season when it hosts Lipscomb in a 7:00pm, Monday, match at Morgan Brothers Soccer Field.

The Lady Govs (1-0) are coming off a 6-0, season-opening, win at Virginia Military Institute where they scored all six goals in the second half. It was the look of a new, improved offensive attack aided by freshman striker Emily Kink and sophomore Jocelyn Murdoch. Murdoch, who played the 2008 season primarily as a defender, returns to the team after missing the 2009 season with a knee injury.

A downside to the blow out is by silencing the Keydets offense, neither senior Lady Govs goalkeeper Carley Newman and freshman keeper Haylee Shoaff were tested in net. Credit the Lady Govs back line of senior Hannah Jones and junior Sara Kluttz, as well as senior midfield Samantha Northrup, as the Keydets managed only eight shots in the game with nothing on goal.

If there ever was a similar story to this edition of Lady Govs soccer, it would be the Lipscomb Bisons (1-0). A team that struggled a year ago in scoring goals, finishing 4-15 with a 2-7 Atlantic Sun record, Lipscomb is laden with underclassmen. Head coach Jon Ireland’s young team features eight sophomores and six freshman to go along with one senior and three juniors.

A new look club as well, the Bisons scored a pair of second-half goals to win their season opener against Chattanooga, 2-1. Goals by Hunter Summers and Meghan McGuire came less than three minutes apart – the first to tie the game at 1-1 followed by the gamewinner in the 65th minute.

The series between the Lady Govs and Bisons is a longstanding one, with Austin Peay leading 5-2-1. While the Lady Govs won five straight meetings from 2004-08, Lipscomb took the 2009 affair, 1-0, in Nashville.

Austin Peay soccer is played at Morgan Brothers Soccer Field, located behind the Lady Govs softball field. Admission is free.