Soccer Set to Host Western Kentucky on Sunday

RICHMOND, Ky. – Soccer’s version of the Battle of the Bluegrass comes to Richmond this weekend as the Eastern Kentucky University women’s soccer team will host in-state rival Western Kentucky on Sunday at 1:00 p.m.

The Colonels are currently 1-4-1 following a scoreless draw at Valparaiso last Sunday while the Hilltoppers are 1-2-1 after a 4-0 defeat of Evansville last Friday.

“We’re looking forward to playing WKU at home,” head coach Lindsay Basalyga said. “We’ve used the momentum we left with on Sunday to have a competitive week of training. We’re constantly striving to improve, so win, lose or draw this Sunday, we’re hoping to come out a better team.”

EKU fell at home to Wright State last Friday, 3-0, but bounced back with a hard-earned result at a Valparaiso team that was off to its best four-game start in program history (3-0-1). The high-scoring Crusaders had scored nine goals in those four games and had not been shutout all season before Sunday.

Freshman goalkeeper Lyndsay Vance made her first career start against Valparaiso, made nine saves and played all 110 minutes of the double-overtime stalemate. She was unanimously selected as the OVC Goalkeeper of the Week for her efforts.

The EKU offense will look to get back on track this weekend as the Colonels have not scored a goal in their last four games. Seniors Carly Muller and Courtney Nestor have provided EKU’s only scores on the season.

Like EKU, WKU played a tough early-season schedule, falling to Tennessee, tying Ole Miss and falling to Minnesota before picking up their first win of the season against Evansville last Friday. The Hilltoppers will face Ball State on Friday before travelling to Richmond.

The Hilltoppers are led by junior Mallory Outerbridge, who has recorded two goals and two assists on the season and was recently named the Sun Belt Conference Offensive Player of the Week.

The Colonels are 0-3-1 all-time against the Hilltoppers and dropped a heart-breaking 1-0 decision against them last year in Bowling Green. WKU last visited EKU Soccer Field in 2008 when the teams tied, 1-1.

Following this weekend’s action, the Colonels will host Presbyterian on Friday, Sept. 17 and then travel to Detroit Mercy on Sunday, Sept. 19.