Ronan Summers
Contributing Writer
[email protected]
The Murray State Racers soccer team has already begun play, losing their first two contests.
The Racers traveled to Ruston, Louisiana to play the Techsters of Louisiana Tech University on Friday, Aug. 19. In their season opener, 2021 All-OVC junior midfielder Hailey Cole scored the 700th goal in the program’s history. Despite the milestone, the Racers fell 1-2 after a Louisiana Tech penalty kick in the 74th minute that decided the game.
The Racers then came back home to take on the Georgia State University Panthers on Sunday, Aug. 21. The Racers lost the match 0-2 and are still on the hunt for their first win.
The Racers have eight seniors on their 2022 roster, seven of which were on 2021’s squad when the team finished 9-8-1. The seniors are goalkeepers Jenna Villacres and Jamie Skarupsky, defenders Katie Bickers and Saraya Young, midfielders Lauren Payne and Grace Bodker and forwards Marti Floyd and Parker Greer. Payne was second on the team last year in both goals and total points. She will be looking to continue her success on the field as the Racers take on some new competition.
In years prior, the Murray State Racers competed in the OVC. Now the Racers have a new challenge ahead of them—the MVC. The switch to the MVC was made in July 2022 when the Murray State Board of Regents officially accepted the MVC’s invitation.
The Racers are primed to go far this season under Head Coach Matt Lodge. The soccer team has seen success under Lodge, and he’s been recognized for it, winning 2020-21 OVC Coach of the Year.
With a new conference comes new competition, and the Racers look to make a lasting first impression on their new conference rivals.
Murray State will travel to Cincinnati, Ohio, to take on the University of Cincinnati Bearcats at1 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 28. The Bearcats went 7-7-3 last season and will be a tough matchup for Murray State.
On Sept. 4, former OVC rival UT Martin will travel to Murray for a matchup at 1 p.m. UT Martin had a solid season in 2021, going 11-6-1 and making it to the OVC finals, where they lost. The Racers will host their last out-of-conference matchup against the University of Oklahoma Sooners, who went 8-11-1 last season. The matchup will be at 1 p.m. on Sept. 4.
Murray State will host Belmont at 3 p.m. on Cutchin Field to kick off their interconference play on Sept. 22. The Racers will then travel to Evansville, Indiana, to take on the University of Evansville Aces at 1 p.m. on Sept. 25. They will host the Indiana State Sycamores at 3 p.m. on Sept. 29. The Sycamores went 6-2 in conference play last year and had the best record out of all of the teams in the MVC.
Fellow MVC newcomer, the University of Illinois Chicago Flames, will come to town for another game on Cutchin Field at noon on Oct. 2 to give the Racers back-to-back home games. The Racers will then travel to Springfield, Missouri, to play the Missouri State Bears in an evening bout at 6 p.m. on Oct. 6.
The Illinois State Redbirds will travel to Murray on Oct. 9 at 1 p.m. in the Racers’ second half of conference play. The Racers then travel to Carbondale, Illinois, on Oct. 13 to take on the SIU Salukis at 6 p.m.
In its final home game of the season, Murray State plays host to the Valparaiso Beacons on Oct. 16, with kickoff set for 1 p.m.
The Racers will head to Cedar Falls, Iowa, to take on the University of Northern Iowa at 3 p.m. on Oct. 20. They will end their season with a showdown in Des Moines, Iowa against the Drake Bulldogs on Oct. 23 at 1 p.m.
Murray State has been picked by coaches around the league to finish third in the MVC this season. The Racers dominated the OVC under Lodge with a record of 32-3-5 in his four years. As Lodge enters his fifth year, his team will look to continue their success in the new conference.
