Racers Return Home For Non-Conference Finales

Dates (Times): Sept. 19 & 21 (3 p.m. & 12 p.m.)
Opponents: IUPUI & Northern Ky.
Site (Venue): Murray, Ky. (Cutchin Field)
Live Stats: GoRacers.com
MSU Record (Streak): 2-5 (W1)
IUPUI Record (Streak): 2-2-1 (L1)
NKU Record (Streak): 3-3 (L1)
All-Time Series vs. IUPUI (Streak): Series tied 3-3 (L1)
All-Time Series vs. NKU (Streak): NKU leads 1-0-1 (T1)
MSU Last Match: W 1-0 at Saint Louis (Sept. 14)
IUPUI Last Match: L 1-2 at Butler (Sept. 14)
NKU Last Match: L 1-2 OT vs. Butler (Sept. 18)
MSU Next Match: Sept. 26 vs. Tennessee Tech
MSU Next Home: Sept. 26 vs. Tennessee Tech

After five matches on the road, the Murray State women's soccer team will return to Cutchin Field this weekend to close out the non-conference portion of its schedule. On Friday, the Racers will play host to IUPUI, followed by Northern Kentucky on Sunday.

The Racers dropped a 1-0 overtime heartbreaker at Middle Tennessee on Friday, before bouncing back to top Saint Louis, 1-0, on Sunday. Both teams went the full 180 regulation minutes on Friday without a score, with Middle finishing the match with a slight 13-11 advantage in shots. In overtime, the Blue Raiders took four shots compared to none by Murray State, but it was the last shot with just over minute left in the first overtime that finally broke the deadlock and gave MT the win.

On Sunday, it appeared as if MSU was headed to a second straight overtime, until Pavlina Nepokojova struck in the 79th minute to score the eventual game-winner and snap a four-match skid by the Racers. Nepokojova's goal now makes her one of three scorers on the season for MSU, as Julie Mooney leads the team with three, followed by Harriet Withers with two.

Shelby Haworth became the first MSU player this season to earn an OVC honor when she was named Goalkeeper of the Week on Tuesday, Over two games, she allowed no goals in regulation, with the only one allowed coming in overtime at Middle Tennessee. She ended the week with 12 saves, including a career-high seven against SLU. She currently leads MSU in all major statistical categories including goals against average (1.46), save percentage (77.8), saves per game (5.25) and shutouts (1).

Murray State and IUPUI have met on six previous occasions and are tied in the all-time series at 3-3. The two teams have not met since 2009 and the Jaguars have not made the trip to Cutchin Field since 2008. The last time the two teams met in Indy, IUPUI came away with a 2-1 win; however that last meeting in Murray went down as a 2-0 victory for the Racers. The win in 2008 pushed the Racers to 2-0 all-time against the Jaguars at Cutchin Field.

IUPUI is currently 2-5-2 on the season after tying at home against Evansville, 0-0, on Friday, before falling to cross-town rival Butler, 2-1, on Sunday. The Jaguars trailed for most of the match until Krissy Kirkhoff tied the match at 1-1 in the 87th minute. However, Butler was able to score in the final minute of regulation to edge IUPUI, 2-1.

For her work in the match, she was named Summit League Offensive Player of the Week for the second consecutive week. She currently leads the conference in shots (34) and shots per game (3.78) and is tied for third in goals at four. Nicole Kulovitz has appeared in eight of nine matches at goalkeeper for IUPUI this season and leads the teams in saves with 40. She currently has a goals against average of 1.59 and a team-high save percentage of 81.6. She has also notched two combined shutouts this season along with Catherine Schmidt.

The Racers and the Northern Kentucky have met on just two previous occasions with the Norse winning, 4-2, in Murray in 2012 and the two teams tying, 0-0, in Highland Heights last season.

Northern Kentucky is coming off of a 2-1 overtime loss to Butler at home on Wednesday night, bringing their record to 3-2-2 on the year. The Norse struck first in the match with Sam Rutowski strike in the 25th minute. NKU held on to the lead for the rest of the match until Elise Kotsakis scored with just three seconds left in regulation to send the game into overtime. Just over a minute into overtime Kotsakis found the back of the net in the net to give the Bulldogs a come-from-behind-win.

Rutowski and Macy Hamblin currently lead the Norse in goals on the year with three, while Kelsey Laumann and Katelyn Newton follow with two each. Laumann, the reigning Atlantic Sun Player of the Week, also leads the team and league in assists with five. In goal for the majority of the season for NKU has been Brooke Shocker who has a team-high 81.8 save percentage and a team-low goals against average of 1.14.

Live stats and free live video, courtesy of the OVC Digital Network, will be available for both games with links posted at GoRacers.com.

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Players Mentioned

Shelby Haworth

Julie Mooney

Pavlina Nepokojova

Harriet Withers

Murray State University Athletics

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