CLARKSVILLE – Austin Peay State University women's soccer team returns to Morgan Brothers Soccer Field this weekend for two home Ohio Valley Conference contests against Southeast Missouri, 7 p.m., Friday, and UT Martin, 2 p.m., Sunday.
The Lady Govs (4-5, 0-1-0 OVC) opened conference play with a 1-0 loss at Eastern Kentucky last Sunday as the offense was held without a goal for the first time since Sept. 4. Unlike the previous two years where APSU has won its debut OVC match, the Lady Govs are now faced with a bounce back scenario in two important matches.
Southeast Missouri and UT Martin enter this weekend as two of the conference's hottest teams, with all three OVC honorees the week prior coming from both opponents.
The Redhawks (6-3-2, 1-0-1 OVC) haven't lost since Sept. 11, and opened conference play with a hard-fought draw against SIU Edwardsville before knocking off Eastern Illinois, 5-0. SEMO is led offensively by Angie Mann, who holds six goals and one assist, while Natasha Minor in one of three OVC players who already has eclipsed the 30-shot mark. The team also is strong defensively, led by goalkeeper Kindra Lierz, whose 0.99 goals against average ranks third in the conference.
The Skyhawks (4-6-0, 2-0-0 OVC) were one of two schools to exit Week 1 with two victories. UTM defeated EIU, 3-1, then scored a 77th-minute game-winner to beat SIUE, 1-0, last weekend. Reigning Offensive Player of the Week, Lisa Schmieder, scored three goals to lead the team, while Keeper of the Week, MaKenzie Crawford, was nearly unbeatable in net, making 13 combined saves with one goal allowed.
Last Time Against Opponents
Southeast Missouri: The Lady Govs met SEMO, Oct. 10, 2014, and came away with a 1-0 victory in overtime. Mary Ruth Locastro scored the game-winner in the 94th minute, a shot from the edge of the box which cleared the keeper. Nikki Filippone earned the shutout in goal, making seven saves on the evening.
UT Martin: APSU was on the wrong end of a 4-2 decision at Skyhawk Field, Oct. 26, 2014. Rianna Jarrett scored two goals to pace the UTM attack, while Taylor Van Wagner and Sophia Fabbro combined to score both of Austin Peay's goals. Filippone played the full 90 minutes in net with five saves.
Keep An Eye On
After her four-game scoring streak was cut short at EKU, junior Gina Fabbro will look to recreate her magic up top. Fabbro led the team in shots with four in Richmond, and is now second on the team in shots with 18 while playing in just five contests.
Sophomore Kirstin Robertson continues to be a do-everything player for head coach Kelley Guth. With the ability to play as a forward or in the midfield, the Ashland City native tested EKU throughout last weekend's match, finishing with three shots.
Sophomore Lindsey Todd remains the No. 1 goalkeeper for the Lady Govs. After manning the goal for the entire duration against the Colonels, Todd has now played the full 90 minutes four times in 2015.
Lady Govs Online
Be sure to follow all the Lady Govs action at LetsGoPeay.com and the official Facebook page of Austin Peay Athletics. Live play-by-play coverage can be found on Twitter (@AustinPeaySocr), while live stats are available at PeayStats.com. All OVC matches can be streamed live and free on OVCDigitalNetwork.com.
