Murray State ended their non-conference schedule by beating Grambling State 2-0 and they now look toward Missouri Valley Conference play.

The first half didn’t see much action as it finished 0-0. The Racers did take more shots than the Tigers, showing their attacking play could be rewarded if they kept on trying.

Murray State didn’t have to wait to long into the second half to find their first goal. Kate Stordy’s corner in the 53rd minute made its way to Mary Hardy, who turned in the corner with a header. The goal was Hardy’s third of the season and the assist was also Stordy’s third of the season.

The Racers found their second goal of the game in the 76th minute thanks to Hardy turning in a goal off a cross from Chloe Barnthouse. The assist was Barnthouse’s first of the season. The 76th minute goal was Hardy’s fourth of the year and brings her halfway to her 2023 goal total going into conference play.

Goalkeeper Griselda Revelorio picked up her second clean sheet of the season. Grambling State took six shots for the whole game with four being on goal. Revelorio saved all four shots and held the Tigers to no goals for the game.

Head coach Matt Lodge said the team put up a good performance against “an athletic Grambling side.”

“[In] the first half we knocked the ball around really well, but lacked a little end product,” Lodge said. “Credit to the girls, they stayed calm at 0-0 going into half—continued to play good football and got their reward.”

The Racers finish the non-conference portion of their season with a record of 4-3-1. The next match is the Missouri Valley Conference opener against the Evansville Aces on Sunday, Sept. 22 at 1 p.m.