Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

Missouri State

O'Keefe UCA 2
0
Evansville UEV (1-4-2, 0-1-0)
1
Winner Missouri St. MSU (4-4-1, 1-0-0)
Evansville UEV
(1-4-2, 0-1-0)
0
Final
1
Missouri St. MSU
(4-4-1, 1-0-0)
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Evansville UEV 0 0 0
Missouri St. MSU 0 1 1

Game Recap: Women's Soccer | | Athletics Communications

MSU Women Shut Out Evansville in Valley Opener

SPRINGFIELD – Grace O'Keefe's unassisted goal in the 78th minute propelled Missouri State women's soccer to a 1-0 win in their conference opener here Sunday afternoon against Evansville. 

The Bears (4-4-1) started off the match slower than usual, as the Purple Aces outshot them 5-3 in the first half.  One of MSU's better opportunities of the half came in the 11th minute, when a shot from freshman forward Joey Fosnow deflected off the left post.  

In the second half, MSU came out firing, outshooting the UE, 7-1, in the half and registered five more corners in the half than the Purple Aces. 

In the 72nd minute, it looked like the Bears had struck first. MoState got one past the Evansville goalkeeper Myia Danek, but not before an offsides call negated the play and prevented the Bears from breaking the tie. 

Finally, in the 78th minute, the Bears broke through. After narrowly missing a shot off the crossbar in the second half, O'Keefe found the back of the net from long range, putting the Bears up 1-0 against the Purple Aces. 

"After the water break, coach was talking about how we need to put (the ball) on frame," O'Keefe said. "We had hit the post four or five times, and he said he didn't mean it so literally. So, I tried to put it inside the frame."  

Thanks to another stout defensive effort by the Bears and goalkeepers Camielle Day and Katherine Montgomery, the lone goal proved to be enough to fend off the Purple Aces. The Bears took the match, 1-0 and improved to 1-0 in the MVC. 

"I think we honestly started a little bit slow, but I think we had a good halftime talk," head coach Kirk Nelson said. "We were able to make the adjustments we needed to do based on what Evansville was showing us, and what we were able to see. I'm proud of the adjustments. We came out in the second half and had multiple shots and corner kicks and were creating dangerous opportunities, and Grace was able to put that one away." 

  

The Bears hit the road next week, traveling to Des Moines, Iowa for a Valley road matchup on Thursday at 7 p.m. with Drake. 

#BearsUnite

Print Friendly Version

Sponsors