Rachel Essner
Staff Writer
The Murray State soccer team returned to Cutchin Field on Friday, March 12, to take on Belmont University, where the Racers came out with a 3-1 victory. Outshooting the Bruins 19-6, the Racers were able to improve their record to 4-0 overall.
Belmont made it on the scoreboard first after junior forward Erin Patterson passed the ball to senior defender Grace Parsons, who put the ball in Murray State’s goal in minute 21. The Racers retaliated in the 31st minute when junior forward Abby Jones passed the ball to senior forward Rebecca Kubin, who tied the game 1-1 after a shot from inside the penalty area.
The teams entered halftime with a tied score of 1-1, despite the Racers outshooting the Bruins 8-4 and owning 58% of possession time throughout the first half.
Murray State took control of the second half when redshirt junior midfielder Symone Cooper headed a ball into the goal off a corner kick from Jones to put the Racers at a 2-1 advantage in the 16th minute.
The Racers put the game away in the 43rd minute after sophomore midfielder Grace Bodker passed to Cooper, who found the net again from 45 yards out in the final moments of the game, leading the Racers to a 3-1 win over the Bruins.
Murray State ended the second half with a 10-2 shot advantage against Belmont and owned 60% of possession time.
“It was a solid performance,” said Head Coach Matt Lodge. “I think that, when you control the tempo of the game over the course of 90 minutes, you’re going to be happy.”
Cooper scored her first and second goals of the season and now stands at six career goals. She is the seventh Racer to score this season.
Kubin’s goal is her third for the season and moved her into a tie with Jackie Thomas (2000-03) for fifth on Murray State’s all-time scoring list with 25 career goals.
Jones furthered her lead as Murray State’s all-time assist leader in her game against Belmont, after breaking the record in the Racers’ previous game against University of Tennessee at Martin. Meanwhile, Bodker tallied her first career assist.
“Fortunately, we scored three really good goals today,” Lodge said. “I don’t know which one was better for Symone. It was a really good performance from everyone today. People are really starting to step up.”
The Racers will take action again when they host Austin Peay State University in the Battle of the Border rivalry match at Cutchin Field on Tuesday, March 16, at 1 p.m.
