EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – After falling behind 3-0 in the 59th minute, Tori Case and Rachel Bradberry scored a pair of goals to bring Austin Peay State University soccer back within one in the 73rd minute; but the Governors comeback ran out of steam and they dropped a 3-2 Ohio Valley Conference decision to SIUE, Friday, at Korte Stadium.
SIUE got started quickly in Friday night's contest, with 2019 First-Team All-OVC selection Mackenzie Litzsinger finding the back of the net in the seventh minute. The Cougars tested Austin Peay's junior keeper Peyton Powell twice more in the next three minutes, but they were unable to best Powell again in the first half.
SIUE took a dozen shots in the first half, with five of them coming on net, but Powell made five of her career-high seven saves in the first 45 minutes of the match.
In the second half it was another quick start for the Cougars, with Andrea Frerker scoring in the 58th minute and Litzsinger scoring again in the 59th to stretch the SIUE lead to 3-0.
Trailing by three in the second half, the Austin Peay offense began to come alive. In the 64th minute, freshman Tori Case took a shot from 15 yards outside the top of the box and snuck it over the outstretched hands of SIUE goalkeeper Taylor Spiller for her first collegiate goal.
Then in the 73rd minute, Bradberry took a pass and beat a pair of SIUE defenders to the baseline, where she ripped a shot and beat Spiller to the top-right corner for career's sixth goal.
Trailing by just one with 17 minutes left on the clock, the Govs were unable to get off another shot off against the SIUE defense and their second-half comeback attempt simply ran out of time.
Quotably, Coach Kolarova
Opening thoughts… "I was really pleased with the effort from our team and the fight we had. We didn't give up and we talked about it at halftime, they were coming at us over-and-over again with pace and through balls, and our goalkeeper Peyton played absolutely out of her skin in the first half to keep us in the game. At halftime we talked about slowing them down the best we could, fighting for more balls, playing more physical, and not quitting."
On the second half… "I thought the team did a really good job responding in the second half and we came out and won more. I thought the team did a really good job responding to that in the second half, and we came out and won more. We were a bit more physical on and off the ball, and broke down their play a little more, creating some opportunities for ourselves that we should have put away."
On the offense… "It was a great goal from Tori, a freshman from outside the box; then it was another great goal from Rachel, beating a player on the inline and dribbling in to beat the keeper. I am really pleased with the way the girls battled, overall, we have to take the positives out of it for the next one."
On the defense… "I thought our defense played really well; they knew they were going into a tough battle. The attackers on SIUE's team were some of the bests we are going to face in our conference. Their No. 17 [Mackenzie Litzsinger], who scored two of the goals, is going to be one of the best forwards we face all year, and Abby Therrell marked her and did a great job. Our defense did a great job, and we still got opened up, but I think we played as well as we could have against them. I can't fault our team at all for the effort, the work rate, and the fight they had."
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Austin Peay will return to Morgan Bros. Soccer Field to host Jacksonville State for a 2 p.m., Tuesday contest. After the Govs showdown with the Gamecocks, they will embarked on a two-match road trip to play a 6 p.m., March 12 match at Southeast Missouri and a 1 p.m., March 16 match at Murray State.
In the time of COVID-19, there is always a chance that a match will be postponed or not come to fruition. For news, scheduling changes, and match-time updates, be sure to check back at LetsGoPeay.com or follow the Governors soccer Twitter account (@AustinPeaySocr).
