WKU Soccer (0-1-0) suffered a narrow 2-1 defeat to Austin Peay (1-0-0) in their season opener on Thursday night in Clarksville, Tennessee. Despite a late push, the Hilltoppers were unable to find an equalizer after cutting the deficit to one goal.
How It Happened
After a scoreless first half, Austin Peay broke the deadlock in the 47th minute with a strike into the upper right corner, just out of the reach of WKU goalkeeper Maddie Davis. The Governors quickly doubled their lead two minutes later with another goal from the right side, lofting the ball into the far side of the net.
WKU responded in the 77th minute when freshman Ashton Lynam scored her first collegiate goal. Camryn Davis set up the play by finding Maggie Morris on the right wing, who then delivered a cross into the box. Lynam connected with the ball and fired it past the Austin Peay goalkeeper to bring the Hilltoppers within one.
Notables
- First Collegiate Goal: Lynam’s goal marked her first in collegiate play and was the first time a freshman has scored WKU’s opening goal of the season since Ellie Belcher did so in 2020 against North Alabama.
- Shot Advantage: WKU outshot Austin Peay 11-10, with seven shots on goal compared to the Governors’ six.
- Strong Defensive Effort: Goalkeeper Maddie Davis recorded four saves, while Georgia Liapis led the team with three shots on goal, creating two dangerous opportunities in the first half.
- Starting Lineup: The starting lineup featured Maddie Davis, Aspen Seaich, Brooke Sleeva, Abby Davis, Anna Isger, Mia Merritt, Alyvia Walls, Georgia Liapis, Kendall Wade, Kayla Meyer, and Lily Rummo. It was the first career start for Walls and the first start for Abby Davis since 2022 after missing last season due to injury. Transfer Mia Merritt also made her first start as a Hilltopper. A total of 20 players saw action in the match.
Quotable
“Soccer can be a cruel game,” said head coach Jason Neidell. “We dug ourselves a pretty big hole going down two goals early in the second half and just didn’t have enough to equalize and get back into the game. It was nice to see Ashton Lynam score her first collegiate goal. I love this group, and there are better days ahead.”
Next Up
WKU Soccer will look to bounce back in their home opener against Union (Tenn.) on Thursday, Aug. 22 at 7 p.m. at the WKU Soccer Complex.
