APSU Sports Information Office
Morehead, KY – Against one of the most potent offenses in the Ohio Valley Conference, Austin Peay State University women’s soccer team hung tough to the very end against Morehead State, Sunday, before falling 2-1 to the Eagles at Jayne Stadium.
Austin Peay was kept in the contest thanks to an immense first half from junior keeper Nikki Filippone. The Canadian-bred netminder made five first-half saves, facing a dozen first-half shots by a high-octane Eagle offense featuring 2013 OVC Offensive Player of the Year Jade Flory.
“We weathered quite the storm in the first half,” said head coach Kelley Guth. “I thought our backline played very well – we definitely defended them better than we did last season.”
Late in the first half, fortune favored the Lady Govs when Morehead State keeper Elizabeth Floyd was red-carded for a handball outside the 18-yard box. With the Eagles forced to turn to a back-up keeper in Kaitlynn Murphy, Austin Peay entered halftime with a silver lining despite being outshot 12-3 over the first 45 minutes.
It would be the Eagles that scored first, however, when Kimberly Golden corralled a rebound form a Caity Fox corner and Elizabeth Tresnak attempt at slid it past Filippone for her season’s second goal.
But the Lady Govs answered quickly with a goal of their own from sophomore Alyssa Plowman. The Lipscomb transfer scored after an Austin Peay free kick led to a break in defense from Morehead State, and Plowman earned the equalizer, as well as her first Austin Peay tally.
“The goal off the corner was a poor clearance on our part,” Guth said. “Fortunately, we were able to get a quick answer and it was great to see us capitalize on that opportunity.”
Morehead State’s offensive onslaught simply never let up and the hosts scored the go-ahead goal with just over 10 minutes remaining in the match. A cross from Kelsey Patera found Flory in the box, and she touched it to Macy Cobb for the goal.
“This is a tough place to play and they’re a very good team,” Guth said. “I think we matched up better athletically and did some things tactically that were good to see.”
This contest was the first match of a four-game road trip for Austin Peay, which finds itself in Charleston, IL next Sunday for a 2:00pm (CT) contest against Eastern Illinois.
