SPRINGFIELD - Grace O'Keefe's 83rd minute goal drew Missouri State women's soccer within a goal of Murray State, but it wasn't enough, and the Bears' six-match unbeaten streak came to an end by a 2-1 final here Thursday night.
Murray State came out firing to begin the match, netting two goals within the first 20 minutes of play. Before those two goals, MoState (7-5-2) hadn't been scored on since Sept. 22, a 1-1 road tie against Drake, accounting for three shutouts in the process.
"The first half, that wasn't us," head coach Kirk Nelson said. "We came out slow. We gave up two quick goals from counterattacks, and that's something we don't normally do."
After the two goals, the scoring was done for Murray State (3-7-3), but the Bears were unable to get one past the goalkeeper in the first half and took a 2-0 deficit into the intermission.
In the second half, the Bears came out aggressive, and the offense seemed to return to its normal form. MoState registered nine shots in the second half, including five in a 12-minute period.
Off a free kick in the 83rd minute, O'Keefe broke through for the Bears, netting a goal and drawing MoState within one score of the Racers. However, time was not on Missouri State's side, and the clock ran out on the Bears in the Missouri Valley Conference contest.
"That was a test of our character, and we are going to bounce back," Nelson said.
Despite falling down two goals, the Bears outshot the Racers, 11-9, and registered two more corner kicks, 5-3.
MoState looks to get back into the win column on the road in Nashville, Tenn., when it squares off against Belmont (4-2-5) Sunday at 1 p.m.
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