Box Score JONESBORO, Ark. ? The UALR Trojan soccer team (10-9-1) held off the Arkansas State Lady Indians (3-13-2) for over 87 minutes, but a late goal and a controversial reversal in overtime meant the Trojans had to end the regular season with a 2-2 tie. The Trojans enter the Sun Belt Conference tournament as the seventh-seed, as South Alabama fell to Troy.
“It's always tough to play rivalry games,” said head coach Greg Hess. “We went into overtime last year with ASU and this year it was more of the same. I thought we fought and played well all game long. Our execution just wasn't there today. I feel I deserve some of the blame for today's result. We were trying different things, trying to get players into the game. We still played well, but with three minutes to go, we gave up a goal to let ASU tie. We scored a great goal in overtime, though. Grace (Rich) got around the defense and made a great pass to Leanne (Mihelich) who scored. It was only after the goal, did the linesman say that Grace was out of bounds. The game was in our control, but we just have to do better in the conference tournament.”
It didn't take long for the Trojans to get started against ASU. In the third minute, Trojan Danielle Dunsworth found the back of the net off an assist from Heather Pittman to put UALR up 1-0. The Lady Indians responded in the ninth minute as Katharine Krekeler scored to even the game at one goal apiece. Trojan sophomore Grace Rich answered right back in the 21st minute off an assist from Jessica Beaver to put the Trojans ahead 2-1.
The game stayed that way for the next 66 minutes, but in the 87th minute, Anna Steckel scored to force a tie and overtime. The Trojans came out in overtime and appeared to have scored the game-winning goal, but the ruling was overturned, and the game ended in the 2-2 tie.
The Trojans took 13 shots in the game compared to the Lady Indians eight. Trojan goalie Jane Picarelli played all 110 minutes of the game and made six saves on the afternoon.
UALR will be back in action on Nov. 7 as they take on Middle Tennesse State in the 2 vs. 7 matchup of the opening round of the Sun Belt Conference tournament. MTSU and Western Kentucky fought to a 1-1 tie, ensuring the Blue Raiders will face UALR in the opening round.
