Box Score MURRAY, Ky. - The Belmont University women's soccer team lost its rematch of the 2019 Ohio Valley Conference Semifinals with Murray State on Friday at Cutchin Field, with the Racers winning 3-1.
Murray State collected 19 shots while Belmont snagged six, with the Racers also coming up with eight corner kick opportunities. Belmont goalkeeper Sarah Doyle recorded seven saves on Friday, marking the third time this season where she has grabbed at least six saves. Doyle currently leads the OVC in saves with 26 in 2021.
With both teams pushing their offensive attacks, Belmont snagged the first shot of the game with just under five minutes passed in the first half. Murray State responded with three consecutive shots on frame, but all of them were saved by Doyle to keep the match scoreless.
Belmont struck first, scoring the game's first goal and its first goal in the first half this season in the 21st minute. Feeding off a pass from junior forward Erin Patterson, senior defender Grace Parsons met the ball and put it in the back of the net for her first goal of the season to give the Bruins a 1-0 lead. This was Parsons' second career goal, with her last one coming on Sept. 8, 2019 against Evansville.
The Racers responded by firing two quick shots 30 seconds after Belmont scored the goal, eventually tying up the score nine minutes later. Murray State's Rebecca Kubin scored off an assist from Abby Jones, who recently became Murray State's all-time career assists leader in program history, to tie it up 1-1 at the 30-minute mark. The first half would end with the score tied heading into the locker room.
Going back-and-forth between shots and fouls in the first 15 minutes of the second half, Murray State capitalized in the 60th minute. Symone Cooper scored the go-ahead goal off an assist from Jones to put Murray State on top 2-1 with 30 minutes left to play in regulation.
Murray State controlled the possession in the final 30 minutes of play, holding Belmont to one shot in the final 30 minutes of play. The Racers eventually pushed its lead out to two goals, with Cooper putting the ball in the back of the net for the second time in the game off an assist from Grace Bodker in the 88th minute to put Murray State ahead 3-1.
Belmont (1-3) plays its second game of its two-game road stretch on Tuesday. The Bruins will make the short trip to Cookeville, Tenn., facing Tennessee Tech at 7 p.m.
