The Cougars and Eagles played to a 0-0 draw in the opening 45 minutes, with SIUE registering 12 total shots while holding Morehead State to just one. However, the sparks were flying in the second half - the scoring started with an Eagles own goal in the 46th minute, as the visitors couldn't defend a Cougar cross and forced the MSU defender into heading the ball into her own net. Just two minutes later, MacKenzie Litzsinger found the back of the net thanks to passes from Lily Schnieders and Megan Keeven to double the SIUE lead. The Cougars struck again in the 51st minute, this time with Maria Haro taking passes from Litzsinger and Schnieders to increase the Cougar lead to 3-0. The Red & White would strike again in the 70th minute, as true freshman Kaitlyn Nichols netted her first collegiate goal assisted by Sidney Christopher. Christopher would again put her forwards into scoring positions, assisting on a Angel Ikeda goal in the 81st minute.
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As a team, the Cougars notched 22 shots, 12 of which were on target. SIUE held the Eagles to just three total shots, all of which were on target but safely padded away by Bella Henderson.
"Good results don't come easy," said SIUE Head Coach Derek Burton following the match. "There wasn't anything given to us today, we earned it by picking our performance up a notch after halftime."
In addition to SIUE's five-goal second half performance serving as the most single-half goals in an OVC match, but it is also tied for the most single-half goals in the program's Division I era - the Cougars netted five second-half goals in a 7-0 win over Chicago State on Sep. 6, 2015.
"The quality of our roster showed today," added Burton. "There was a ton of impactful play from up and down the roster."
The Cougars, who improve to 2-0 in OVC play and 5-4 overall, will make the short trip to Charleston, Illinois, next Thursday to take on a surging Eastern Illinois side. Kickoff against the Panthers is scheduled for 3 p.m., and the match will be streamed live on ESPN+.
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