Box Score CLARKSVILLE -- Austin Peay State University women's soccer
team locked up a bye in next week's Ohio Valley Conference Tournament with a
resounding 2-1 victory in Sunday's season finale against Eastern Kentucky.
The Lady Govs (11-7-1, 7-2-1 OVC) close out an undefeated
October - and have not lost since Sept. 28 - by earning a second-seed in the
conference tournament. Eastern Kentucky (10-6-2, 6-3-1 OVC) was Austin Peay's
main competition for the bye but couldn't overcome two quick Lady Gov goals.
Austin Peay got on the board in the 14th minute. Senior
Emily Perkins assisted on a low cross to junior Tatiana Ariza, who put it away
for her season's 12th goal. That ties her with Ashley Beck's 2007 season for
the second-highest single-season mark in school history.
Perkins netted her second goal of the weekend in the 24th
minute, scoring on a run out from a long outlet pass from junior Morgan Zigelsky. The goal, her career's 14th, tied Perkins with Jessica Hosse
(2004-07) for third-highest career total in Austin Peay history.
The Lady Govs turned the defense on after that, limiting the
Colonels' chances on net, but Eastern Kentucky would not go down quietly with a
tournament bye on the line. In the 89th minute, Eastern Kentucky's Dani Cant
scored on a deflection that snapped a long shutout streak for the Govs. Austin
Peay had not allowed a goal in more than 380 minutes, a streak of better than
four games.
Austin Peay would challenge Eastern Kentucky keeper Erika
Wolfer, forcing her to make 10 saves, including eight in the second half. Lady
Govs junior Haylee Shoaff made five saves for the victory.
This match-up could be revisited next week at the conference
tournament. The Colonels are seeded third in the OVC Tournament, and Austin
Peay faces the winner of the Eastern Kentucky vs. SIU Edwardsville match-up in
Friday night's 7 p.m. semifinal.