MOREHEAD | The Morehead State football team continued its winning streak, defeating visiting Detroit Mercy 1-0 on Sunday at the MSU football field.
The win was the Eagles’ second in a row and improved their overall record to 2-1-1, which is their best opening record since they were 2-0-2 to start the 2014 season. The team also extended their school-record home undefeated streak to nine. The previous record was six, set in 2010. The last four games of the current streak have all been wins, and the Blue and Gold have outscored their opponents 6-1 during that time.
Watch MSU coach Paul Cox talk about the win.
Detroit Mercy (0-4-0) had a slight advantage in shots (9 to 8) and kept the ball in Morehead State’s defensive zone for 51 percent of the game. The Eagles had an advantage in possession percentage (53 to 47).
Neither team scored in the first half, with the Eagles leading 3-2. But just over 11 minutes into the second half, it was a freshman who got MSU a goal, as he has all season.
Freshman striker Carlie Thurmond played a long ball behind the Titans defense, which the freshman forward Ava Peck ran toward the center line and collected the ball. Peck dribbled three times and beat Detroit Mercy goalkeeper Marisa Silver 1-on-1 as she came out to challenge Peck, who then fired the ball just over the sliding Silver’s head at 56:08.
All four of MSU’s goals this season have come from freshmen. Sunday’s goal was the first official goal of Peck’s career.
See Ava Peck Talk about the victory and your goal.
Thurmond’s assist was the first of her MSU tenure, but it’s the third game this season that she’s scored at least one point for the Eagles. Thurmond’s five points are the most by a Morehead State freshman through four games since Ashley Ritchie scored seven in 2016.
Both teams had seven shots on goal, with neither team other than Peck being able to pose a serious threat to the goal.
Morehead State had to give up five corner kicks, UDM only two. The hosts had 16 fouls, the visitors five, and both teams were penalized twice for offside.
Peck and junior midfielder Kennedy Baquero Each of them led MSU with two shots, while Detroit Mercy also had two attempts from Abbey Lodato, Adriana Mroz and Amelia Streberger.
Eagle Rookie Goalkeeper Claire Cress recorded her first career shutout, stopping three shots. Silver went the distance in the Titans’ goal, stopping three shots as well.
It was the second win in the series for Morehead State, which also won last year in Detroit 5-2.
MSU next plays Bellarmine on Thursday at 7 p.m. and then takes a week off before facing Wright State on the road the following Thursday at 7 p.m. The Eagles return home to face Northern Kentucky on Sunday, Sept. 8 at 1 p.m.
