Mississippi State
0-2-0
Murray State
1-0-0
Soccer Falls 2-1 To Murray State
August 23, 2015 | Soccer
STARKVILLE, Miss. – Freshman Kiley Martens recorded her first collegiate goal, but Mississippi State was unable to capitalize as a second-half penalty kick proved to be the difference with Murray State escaping the MSU Soccer Field with a 2-1 victory.
The win for the Racers (1-0-0) was their first victory against a Southeastern Conference opponent. MSU (0-2-0) fell to 9-5-1 against Ohio Valley Conference teams.
The match was halted in the 76th minute due to a lightning delay, which suspended play for over an hour.
“We physically looked like we didn't have it early today,” Coach Aaron Gordon said. “We gave up a goal on what was really a turnover, and fought to get the point back, but as we were trying to make the push we had the red card. Regardless, it's still a mark in the loss column and we have to learn from these things to get better.”
Harriet Withers, Murray State's returning leading scorer from 2014, began Sunday's scoring, after she connected inside the box for a goal in the 19th minute, with Taylor Richerson aiding with the assist.
MSU would respond in the 33rd minute after a flurry of chances around the net cultivated into a Martens goal that she buried between the posts, with fellow freshman Elva Astthorsdottir picking up her first collegiate assist.
In the 61st minute freshman Courtney Robicheaux was issued a red card, leading to the deciding goal off a Taylor Richerson penalty kick that sailed past a diving Tanya de Souza.
De Souza made two saves in 75 minutes of action, with Murray State's Shelby Haworth stopping four shots at goal.
The Bulldogs out paced the Racers in shots (8-5) and shots on goal (5-4), but were even in corners (3-3).
The Maroon and White travels to Tampa, Fla., on Aug. 28-30, for a weekend swing with Florida Gulf Coast on Friday and South Florida on Sunday. The Bulldogs will return to the home pitch on Sept. 4 against Nicholls State.
Admission to all MSU home games is free.
For more on the MSU soccer program, follow “HailStateSOC” on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Team Stats
WITHERS, Harriet (1)
Assisted By: RICHERSON, Taylor
GOAL by MUR WITHERS, Harriet (FIRST GOAL), Assist by RICHERSON, Taylor, goal number 1 for season.
19:40
Kiley Martens (1)
Assisted By: Elva Astthorsdottir
GOAL by MSU Kiley Martens, Assist by Elva Astthorsdottir, goal number 1 for season.
33:38
RICHERSON, Taylor (1)
MUR RICHERSON, Taylor PENALTY KICK GOAL, goal number 1 for season.
61:30
