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Photo by: Dave Winder-Murray State Athletics
Racer Soccer Makes History in 2015
12/2/2015 12:30:00 PM | Women's Soccer
It was a season to remember for the Murray State women's soccer team. An 11-game winning streak, an undefeated conference record, and a trip to the NCAA Tournament were just some of the accomplishments of the 2015 team
MSU recorded its first victory over an SEC opponent in the first game of the season with a 2-1 victory over Mississippi State. Taylor Richerson converted her first penalty kick of her college career in the match to give Murray State the win.
The Racers finished the nonconference segment of their schedule with a 4-4 record. During that time, senior Racheal Foxley converted her first penalty kick of her career in a victory against Arkansas State and Shelby Haworth recorded back-to-back shutouts against Louisiana Tech and Middle Tennessee, earning her OVC Goalkeeper of the Week honors.
However, it was the conference schedule where the Racers really started to shine. After early victories over Eastern Kentucky and UT Martin, MSU looked to continue its conference winning streak against Southeast Missouri. Despite an injury to Haworth that led to freshman Alex Steigerwald to start in goal against the Redhawks, the Racers still emerged as 4-1 victors.
Steigerwald went on the record three shutouts in a row against Belmont, Jacksonville State and Morehead State. Also in those matches, Taylor Stevens notched two goals and two assists, as Steigerwald and Stevens would earn OVC weekly honors for their efforts.
As the season went on, Tennessee Tech eventually snapped the shutout streak, but they could not stop the Racers' winning streak. With the win over the Golden Eagles, MSU won its sixth straight match setting a new record for most consecutive wins and earning a berth in the OVC tournament.
But the Racers wouldn't stop there, as they went on to defeat the reigning OVC Tournament champions, SIUE 2-0 to win the outright OVC regular season title, their first since 2008.
Murray State ended the season with victories over Eastern Illinois and Austin Peay to become the first team in OVC history to finish the league slate with a 10-0 record.
The Racers also finished the season with the most OVC Player of the Week winners in program history with 11 with Stevens leading all Racers in awards with four Defensive Player of the Week honors. However, the awards didn't stop there as Steigerwald was named to the OVC All-Newcomer team and to the All-OVC second team. Harriet Withers, Richerson and Stevens were named All-OVC first team, while Head Coach Jeremy Groves was named Coach of the Year. Withers also won Offensive Player of the Year for her six goals, two being game winners, and six assists in conference play.
Withers lived up to her Offensive Player of the Year award in the first match in the OVC Tournament against Morehead State, scoring both goals for the Racers, including the game-winner in the 90th minute. With the win, the top-seeded Racers advanced to the championship game to take on sixth-seeded Southeast Missouri. After almost 100 minutes of scoreless play, it looked like the match would go to a second overtime. But in the 100th minute, Taylor Richerson scored on assists from Withers and Stevens to give the Racers the OVC Tournament Championship and a trip to the NCAA Tournament. Marissa Burroughs, Ali Critcher, Nyomi Devine, and Richerson won All-OVC Tournament honors, while Richerson was also named tournament MVP.
Murray State's next match was against Ole Miss in Oxford, Mississippi in the first round of the Women's College Cup. The Rebels struck first in the match with an early second minute goal, however that would be the only one Ole Miss would score as Steigerwald made nine saves in the contest. Unfortunately, Murray State was never able to find an equalizer on offense, falling 1-0 and snapping an 11-game winning streak, the longest in program history.
The Racers lose four seniors off of this year's squad; Rebecca Bjorkvall, Marissa Burroughs, Racheal Foxley, and Taylor Stevens who each made an impact this season. Each senior scored at least one goal in 2015 and played over 1,000 minutes.
Murray State finished the season 16-5 overall and went 12-0 against OVC opponents, the best finish in program history. Senior Taylor Stevens set a new program record for most minutes played with 5,979 as she played in every match of her college career. Steigerwald finished her rookie season with a .889 save percentage, the MSU soccer single season record which also ranked fourth in the nation. Withers set the single season record for game winning goals with five and tied the single season record for points with 29.
MSU recorded its first victory over an SEC opponent in the first game of the season with a 2-1 victory over Mississippi State. Taylor Richerson converted her first penalty kick of her college career in the match to give Murray State the win.
The Racers finished the nonconference segment of their schedule with a 4-4 record. During that time, senior Racheal Foxley converted her first penalty kick of her career in a victory against Arkansas State and Shelby Haworth recorded back-to-back shutouts against Louisiana Tech and Middle Tennessee, earning her OVC Goalkeeper of the Week honors.
However, it was the conference schedule where the Racers really started to shine. After early victories over Eastern Kentucky and UT Martin, MSU looked to continue its conference winning streak against Southeast Missouri. Despite an injury to Haworth that led to freshman Alex Steigerwald to start in goal against the Redhawks, the Racers still emerged as 4-1 victors.
Steigerwald went on the record three shutouts in a row against Belmont, Jacksonville State and Morehead State. Also in those matches, Taylor Stevens notched two goals and two assists, as Steigerwald and Stevens would earn OVC weekly honors for their efforts.
As the season went on, Tennessee Tech eventually snapped the shutout streak, but they could not stop the Racers' winning streak. With the win over the Golden Eagles, MSU won its sixth straight match setting a new record for most consecutive wins and earning a berth in the OVC tournament.
But the Racers wouldn't stop there, as they went on to defeat the reigning OVC Tournament champions, SIUE 2-0 to win the outright OVC regular season title, their first since 2008.
Murray State ended the season with victories over Eastern Illinois and Austin Peay to become the first team in OVC history to finish the league slate with a 10-0 record.
The Racers also finished the season with the most OVC Player of the Week winners in program history with 11 with Stevens leading all Racers in awards with four Defensive Player of the Week honors. However, the awards didn't stop there as Steigerwald was named to the OVC All-Newcomer team and to the All-OVC second team. Harriet Withers, Richerson and Stevens were named All-OVC first team, while Head Coach Jeremy Groves was named Coach of the Year. Withers also won Offensive Player of the Year for her six goals, two being game winners, and six assists in conference play.
Withers lived up to her Offensive Player of the Year award in the first match in the OVC Tournament against Morehead State, scoring both goals for the Racers, including the game-winner in the 90th minute. With the win, the top-seeded Racers advanced to the championship game to take on sixth-seeded Southeast Missouri. After almost 100 minutes of scoreless play, it looked like the match would go to a second overtime. But in the 100th minute, Taylor Richerson scored on assists from Withers and Stevens to give the Racers the OVC Tournament Championship and a trip to the NCAA Tournament. Marissa Burroughs, Ali Critcher, Nyomi Devine, and Richerson won All-OVC Tournament honors, while Richerson was also named tournament MVP.
Murray State's next match was against Ole Miss in Oxford, Mississippi in the first round of the Women's College Cup. The Rebels struck first in the match with an early second minute goal, however that would be the only one Ole Miss would score as Steigerwald made nine saves in the contest. Unfortunately, Murray State was never able to find an equalizer on offense, falling 1-0 and snapping an 11-game winning streak, the longest in program history.
The Racers lose four seniors off of this year's squad; Rebecca Bjorkvall, Marissa Burroughs, Racheal Foxley, and Taylor Stevens who each made an impact this season. Each senior scored at least one goal in 2015 and played over 1,000 minutes.
Murray State finished the season 16-5 overall and went 12-0 against OVC opponents, the best finish in program history. Senior Taylor Stevens set a new program record for most minutes played with 5,979 as she played in every match of her college career. Steigerwald finished her rookie season with a .889 save percentage, the MSU soccer single season record which also ranked fourth in the nation. Withers set the single season record for game winning goals with five and tied the single season record for points with 29.
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