CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Despite fielding a short bench, Austin Peay State University women's soccer team played to a scoreless tie with Eastern Kentucky, Sunday, in Ohio Valley Conference action at Morgan Brothers Soccer Field.

It's not pretty, but we defended very well,” Lady Govs head coach Kelley Guth said. “In the situation we're in, using only 12 players today, I'm very proud of our girls. They showed a lot of resiliency being able to push through. We played this way on Friday, but didn't finish.”

The Lady Govs (1-8-2, 0-1-1 OVC) dropped their OVC opener, 2-1, to Morehead State, Friday. Eastern Kentucky, meanwhile, did not play a Friday match due to the league's travel-partner arrangements.

Austin Peay has been battling injuries all season and recently have been learning how to deal with a new issue; playing with great fatigue. Using only one bench player, junior Monica Dunham, 10 Lady Govs' players were on the field for the full 110 minutes. Credit junior netminder Carley Newman, who made nine saves in the match, with her season's first solo shutout.

Eastern Kentucky (3-6-1, 0-0-1 OVC) gave Austin Peay all it could handle in the overtime period, outshooting the Lady Govs 6-0 in the two extra frames. Austin Peay's back line of senior Lauren Moon, junior Hannah Jones, sophomore Sara Kluttz and freshman Jazzmine Chandler stayed strong in the overtimes, allowing only one shot to reach Newman in net.

“It's so huge for our team right now to come up big in those clutch moments,” Guth said.  “We've been harping on that with our defense about those breakdowns that have been costing us all season. For them to make those big defensive plays at the end of the game, shows that we took a step in the right direction today.

“We executed the game plan very well. We need to get some players back healthy and try to improve our depth for next week.”

The Lady Colonels outshot the Lady Govs 20-3 for the match, with Alex Hess putting three of her four shots, on goal. Chandler had Austin Peay's only shot-on-goal, coming from midfield following an Eastern Kentucky foul.

Austin Peay continues OVC play on the road with 7 p.m., Friday match, at Southeast Missouri.

-AP-