Despite losing playing one-woman down for over two-thirds of its match, the Morehead State Soccer team found a way to grind out a 0-0 double-overtime draw against Ohio Valley Conference rivals Eastern Kentucky on Sunday afternoon in their final match of the 2019 season at MSU Recreation & Wellness Field.
Freshman midfielder Nicole Fiantaco was issued a red card in the 31st minute of the match, causing the Eagles to compete with only 10 players for the remainder of the regulation and overtime.
"I thought our team gave an incredible effort today," said MSU head coach Warren Lipka. "To be down a player for more than 60 minutes and then outshot and get more corner kicks than EKU. It just shows the work rate that our team had today and their resiliency. I'm proud of them, very proud."
Morehead State fired 13 shots in the match as compared to the Colonels 10 while also having a 4-3 edge for corner kicks. Sophomore defender Nicole Palmer again paced the Eagles' attack from her center back spot, firing three shots that were all on target. Junior Katie Quinn also took the shots with just one being on goal.
MSU came inches from getting on the scoreboard in the 60th minute when Palmer struck a free kick from nearly 30 yards out into the lower 90 of the goal but EKU goalkeeper Zoe Aguirre dove and made a finger-tip save.
Aguiree posted nine saves in the shutout match while Eagles' freshman goalie Kayla Landman made five stops of her own. Landman, who is a Sterling Heights, Mich., native, has now record three shutouts during her rookie campaign and made 73 saves.
"Kayla handled today's match well in the net," said Lipka. "She didn't give up anything soft and showed good poise for us. Hats off to Aguiree too for making some big saves for them also."
Prior to Sunday's match, Morehead State honored seniors Morgan Treser ad Ellie Weber with senior day festivities.
Weber, who transferred to MSU prior to the 2018 season from Oakland, has been an anchor on the Eagles' defensive backfield since joining the team. The Hilliard, Ohio native started and played 46 minutes in Sunday's match.
"Ellie is just a tough player," said Lipka. "She came into our program last year and has done nothing but work hard and help lead the younger players around her."
Treser is a four-year member of the program who has scored three goals and logged 3,461 minutes. The physical midfielder from Wexford, Pa., suffered a season-ending knee injury earlier in the season during Morehead State's 2-1 victory over Akron Sept. 1, however, the senior leader was able to start Sunday's match before sending the opening kick out of bounds and leaving the match to a large ovation.
"We have dearly missed Treser this year," said Lipka. "She was just starting to get into her stride and was one of our vocal leaders on the field."
Lipka credited the determination for his squad to hold on for the draw with the odds stacked against them to the overall team's respect for both Weber and Treser.
"Our young team has a ton of respect for Morgan and Ellie and I think that's a big reason why you saw them work so hard today when they had everything going against them."
Both Eastern Kentucky and Morehead State moved their records to 4-11-2 overall and 2-5-2 in OVC play. The draw ended MSU's three-game losing skid the in-state rival.
Next up, the Eagles take on OVC foe SIUE in their season finale on Sunday, Oct. 27 at 3:00 p.m. ET.
The match will serve as a final test for Morehead State as they battle to play their way into the OVC Championship Tournament. MSU is currently locked into a three-way tie for the eighth, and final, position in the tournament that begins on Nov. 1 at campus locations.
