Box Score


PRINTABLE BOX SCORE

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The University of Evansville women's soccer team played visiting Missouri State to a scoreless draw in a key Missouri Valley Conference matchup Saturday afternoon at Arad McCutchan Stadium. The shutout marked the sixth of the season for the Purple Aces.

Evansville (9-2-2, 2-0-1 MVC) posted a 19-8 shot advantage, but failed to find the back of the net in a match that turned into an offensive struggle after the halftime whistle. The Aces outshot Missouri State (5-7-2, 2-0-1 MVC), 12-3, in the first half and tallied a slim, 7-5, margin the rest of the way.

UE controlled the tempo for much of the first half and forced MSU goalkeeper Jessica Perry to make three saves in the opening stanza, while the Evansville defense held the Bears without a shot on goal in the initial 45 minutes.

Missouri State began to find its stride in the second half, maintaining possession for the majority of the opening 25 minutes. The Bears were able to put three of their four second-half chances on goal, but Evansville goalkeeper Simone Busby was equal to the task on all three attempts.

The Aces pushed forward in the waning moments of regulation, but were not able to find a way through MSU's back line.

The two sides combined for just three shots in the two overtime periods, with UE taking one in each extra session and Missouri State firing its lone shot in the first overtime.

Senior Stephanie Thompson and sophomore Abby Springer led all players with five shots each, as Springer put a game-high four shots on goal to lead Evansville offensively. Busby made four saves on the afternoon to record her fifth clean sheet of the year.

The Aces will return to the pitch Wednesday, Oct. 16, at 6 p.m., when they travel north to Terre Haute, Ind., for a contest with in-state rival Indiana State.