Rachel Essner
Staff Writer
The Murray State soccer team traveled to Edwardsville, Illinois, to take on Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville on Friday, March 26. The Racers won the game 2-1 to improve their record to 7-1.
The Racers were the first team to score after senior midfielder Izzy Heckman crossed the ball to freshman midfielder Hailey Cole who found the net in the 26th minute to put the Racers ahead 1-0.
Murray State kept the 1-0 lead into halftime with both teams taking five shots through the first half.
SIUE’s sophomore forward Lily Schneiders tied the game 1-1 nine minutes into the second half after scoring on a penalty kick against sophomore goalkeeper Jenna Villacres.
Freshman forward Chloe Barnthouse secured the win for the Racers in the 27th minute when she put the ball in the net, making it past the SIUE goalkeeper to advance 2-1.
Villacres had four saves on the night, including an impressive save from a shot within the six-yard box with only five minutes left of the match to preserve the Racers’ lead and secure the win.
Cole scored her second goal of the season while Barnthouse scored her team-high fourth goal.
“It’s massive when you go to a place like Edwardsville where it’s a really tough place to play,” said Head Coach Matt Lodge. “I’m really proud of them.”
The Racers’ win over the Cougars marked the first time Murray State has won over SIUE in Edwardsville.
“It’s something I tell all freshmen coming in,” Lodge said. “We don’t recruit you to come in and get to the standard, we recruit you to raise the standard and they’ve done just that. Everyone has raised their game and it’s been a really fun group to work with overall.”
The Racers will be back in action on Friday, April 2, when they travel to Cape Girardeau, Missouri, to take on Southeast Missouri State University at 6 p.m.
