EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The University of Evansville women's soccer team will return home to Arad McCutchan Stadium for the first time since August 28 on Sunday afternoon, as the Purple Aces will take on Missouri Valley Conference newcomer Murray State. Kick-off is set for 1:05 p.m. on "Women In Sports Day" at UE.
Sunday will be a celebration of the successes of women in sports over the last 50 years in conjunction with the 50th anniversary year of Title IX. There will be informational reads about the women's soccer pioneers at UE, and there will be a special ticket discount for those fans who attend either UE volleyball match this weekend (Friday vs Illinois State, Saturday vs Bradley). Fans who attend either match should hold onto their ticket, as it can be redeemed on Sunday for a $3 ticket to the UE women's soccer match against Murray State.
Sunday's match will be a homecoming for UE, as the Purple Aces have not played at home since picking up a 2-1 victory over Morehead State on August 28. Heavy rains forced the cancellation of UE's regularly-scheduled home match with Northern Kentucky on September 4, which turned the Purple Aces' road trip into a five-match road trip, the second-longest in program history.
UE (1-5-2, 0-2-0 MVC) wrapped up the five-match road trip Thursday night in heartbreaking fashion with a 2-1 loss at Indiana State. The Sycamores scored in the 85th minute, after two UE chances were knocked away just minutes earlier on corner kicks, to snap a 1-1 tie and give ISU the victory. Sophomore midfielder Hailey Autenrieb (Cincinnati, Ohio/Seton) scored her first career goal in the first half to help spark the UE attack.
Murray State (1-7-1 overall, 0-1 MVC) will enter Sunday's match after dropping a 3-1 decision on Thursday to Belmont in the Racers' first-ever MVC contest. Freshman Mary Hardy scored MSU's first-ever Valley goal just 6:17 into the contest, but Belmont rallied for three goals to pick up the victory in Murray, Kentucky. Overall, seven different Racers have scored so far this year offensively, but MSU has conceded 20 goals on the season.
Sunday's match will mark the first-ever meeting between UE and Murray State in Missouri Valley Conference play in any sport. Overall, UE leads the all-time series with the Racers, 7-2, although the two schools have not met since the 2013 season. Sunday's match can be seen live on ESPN3.
