Racers Rout Skyhawks In High-Scoring Sunday Affair

Sunday, September 1

Murray, Ky.

4 p.m.

Murray State

3-2-1, 0-0-0

UT Martin

1-2-2, 0-0-0

UT Martin

Murray St.

Photo by: Dave Winder-Murray State Athletics

9/1/2024 8:22:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

Mary Hardy netted her first two goals of the 2024 season in Murray State’s route over UT Martin.

By: Drew Parsley

The Racers earned their second-straight home victory on Sunday, defeating the UT Martin Skyhawks by a comfortable score of 6-1 at Cutchin Field in Murray, Kentucky.

With Murray State scoring four of its six goals through the first 45 minutes it marks the first time since 2022 the Racers scored four goals in a half, when they scored four first-half goals in a 7-3 victory at Illinois State. That 2022 match was also the last time MSU netted at least six goals in a single match.

The Racers earned their third win and hold a record of 3-2-1, with unbeaten results in four of their last five matches.

Early on in the sixth minute of the match, graduate midfielder Hailey Cole delivered a cross to the box, where a Skyhawk defender missed a clearance opportunity, and the ball fell to the feet of junior forward Sydney Etter. Etter gathered herself, then fired a shot just past the reaching UT Martin keeper to give the Racers the early advantage on her third goal this year.

Just over a minute later, the Skyhawks hit the equalizer after the ball was delivered to the box where a Racer defender attempted to clear it away, but her clearance deflected off a UT Martin forward in front of her Skyhawk teammate, who shot it just over the keeper's save attempt.

After a stagnant 20 minutes of defensive play, the Racers retook the lead when sophomore defender Kate Stordy sent a corner service to Murray State's attacking box. A header from junior forward Mary Hardy sent the ball towards the net and bounced off a UT Martin defender into the top left corner.

MSU netted its third goal in 40 minutes on another set piece from the corner, when the UT Martin defender punched the cross straight up before falling off the head of senior defender Morgan Bodker for her second goal scored this season.

Less than 60 seconds later, a cross pass from sophomore forward Ava Roberson found graduate midfielder Morgan Parker just outside the box, who fired a missile of a shot from distance to hit the top left corner for her first goal in a Racer uniform.

Just over 23 minutes after returning from the halftime break, Stordy and Hardy would connect again for another corner piece assist and goal to extend MSU's advantage to four. Down to the final seconds of the match, Mackenzie Tucker capped off the Racers' scoring off a cross from Breece Bass and fired her lone shot of the day into the bottom right corner past an outstretched Skyhawks keeper.

Stordy earned her first two career assists as a Racer, with Cole recording her second-straight match with an assist. Bass and Roberson each also etched in their second career assist. Hardy picked up her first career multi-goal game on game highs of six shots and four shots on goal.

Freshman midfielder Abbey MacDonald made her first career start, with Meg Wilson and Sami Wilson also getting their first starts of the year. Freshman keeper Isa De Santos Gomez made her first collegiate appearance, playing in the final 10 minutes of the match.

Head Coach Matt Lodge on scoring 10 goals in the last two matches:
"I think it just shows a glimpse of what this group is capable of. We've got so many weapons. I think we played—I'd have to look at the box score—but, maybe eight forwards? And that's because they're all capable of creating opportunities. I think we've now got Tucker [with] two goals, Meg Wilson [with] two goals, Syd [with three] goals, Breece [with] two goals. I mean, we've got four forwards on two goals, [so] you're going to create a lot of opportunities. 10 goals in two games in one week, its fantastic stuff."

Head Coach Matt Lodge on his team's mindset going into the next match at Kentucky:
"It should give us some confidence, because some of the soccer we played today is some of the best I've seen in a long time. We got it down, we possessed, we passed, some of the ideas, the movement—you know, I think we did a very good job. Six goals are great, but I'm more proud of the way we played and the way we attacked the game. We moved it around so well. Kentucky is a high-pressing team, [so] if we can move it like that [then] we'll have some success. I still think we've got to do a much better job of dealing with the long ball, stopping it from bouncing—and that's probably what we'll work on this week. But on the soccer side of things, we're in a great spot."

Head Coach Matt Lodge on Mary Hardy scoring her first two goals on Sunday:
"It was just a matter of time. She does it every year, she's probably going to take off now. I think she took a while to get going last year, and we actually spoke yesterday about Thursday's game. She was a little upset with her performance, and I said, "Everyone has an off game, you going to score on a set piece tomorrow?' I didn't know it was two, but hey, I'll take it."

For more information on the Murray State women's soccer program, visit GoRacers.com or follow @RacersSoccer on X and Instagram.