For the first time since 2014, the Morehead State Soccer team will begin Ohio Valley Conference play with a positive result as they earned a 1-1 tie against Tennessee Tech in double overtime on Friday evening at Tech Soccer Field.
After the Golden Eagles took a 1-0 lead on a goal by Nora Vicsek in the 80th minute, MSU freshman defender Katelynn Setters answered to tie the match with her first-career goal in the 85th minute.
Setters' goal was set up after she was fouled and awarded a free kick. The freshman from Liberty Township, Ohio, proceeded to execute the kick to perfection from 30 yards away and play it past the TTU goalkeeper to tie the match.
"Our women showed great fight tonight," said Morehead State head coach Warren Lipka. "We didn't quit after they scored the late goal and we stayed on the attack. It's not easy getting points in league play on the road so we will take this result and look forward to getting back out and competing Saturday at Jacksonville State."
In overtime, Tennessee Tech fired six shots to the Eagles two but freshman goalkeeper Grace Gaffney stepped up and turned away four potential match-winning goals.
Gaffney, a 5-foot-6 freshman from Danville, Ky., recorded a career-best and the team's season-high with 12 saves in the match. Gaffney is now 0-3-1 in her first five starts for MSU.
"Grace made some key saves for us in big moments," commented Lipka on his young keepers career-night in goal. "She really stepped up and gave us good play back there when we needed it most."
In goal for Tech, Isabelle Austin recorded four saves against MSU's six shots on goal.
Offensively, the Golden Eagles outshot MSU 20-9. Vicsek led TTU with four shot attempts while Setters paced the Morehead State with three.
With the tie, Tennessee Tech moves to 2-4-3 overall and 0-0-1 in league play.
Morehead State snaps a four-game skid with the result and is now 1-6-1 overall and 0-0-1 in OVC play. The tie marks the first time the Eagles have earned points in their conference-opening match since coming away with a 2-2 tie against Belmont on Sept. 26, 2014.
Next up, Morehead State travels to take on Jacksonville State at the JSU Soccer Complex on Sunday. In 2018, the Eagles defeated the Gamecocks 3-1 inside the friendly confines of former home venue, Jayne Stadium.
The match Morehead State and Jacksonville State is scheduled to get underway at 2:00 p.m. ET. Fans can access live statistics on MSUEagles.com or tune into the live stream on ESPN+.
