Red Hot Trojans face Tough Test as OVC Play Begins

LITTLE ROCK, Ark.- The Trojans' will host the first match of the Ohio Valley Conference play, as Morehead State will be in town for a 12 pm kickoff Sunday afternoon.

Little Rock enters the match in fine form, coming off the back of 3 straight wins, including a come-from-behind 2-1 victory on the road at the midweek in Louisiana. 

Defensively, the Trojans have conceded just 2 goals in their last 5 matches. Center back pair Sanaa Williams and Mykena Turner are both in the top 3 on the team in minutes played, and have been giants in the back for Little Rock all year. Freshman Kaitlin Graeber, last week's OVC Defensive Player of the Week, picked up an assist on Thursday, and will be a big part of protecting the back line.

Little Rock hasn't been having issues moving up the pitch either as of late, scoring 10 goals in their last 4. Senior Karina De Paoli, who had scored 3 goals in her previous 3 years as a Trojan, has scored 4 in the last 3 games. 

Morehead State comes into the match with a record of 1-4-3, and come off the back of a 2-2 draw at home to UNC-Asheville. Despite their underwhelming record, Morehead State pose a serious attacking threat, leading the OVC with 95 shots, just ahead of Little Rock's 88.

Expect fireworks, as both sides enjoy playing in a 4-3-3 formation, with possession being the focus. Both Kelly Farrell and Morehead State Head Coach Chris Fox like to build out of the back and create midfield overloads to create chances for their sides.

Last year, The Trojans fell 2-0 to Morehead State in Kentucky, a result that Coach Fox humbly called "a flattering result," adding that the scoreline wasn't reflective of the contest.

History
This will be the 4th all-time meeting between the Trojans and Morehead State, who lead the series 3-1. Little Rock's only victory in the fixture came in the first ever meeting back in 1998.

The Trojans kept their 2nd straight clean sheet, and 3rd of the season, with Marie Cimatti and Peyton Urban splitting the minutes in net. 

What to expect

• High tempo, offensive play from both sides
  • Both sides like to press high up the pitch, and counter quickly, building through the middle. Expect a great matchup between the two sides that lead the OVC in shots
• A great midfield matchup
  • 2022 OVC 2nd-teamer Amaya Arias will have her hands full with 6th year midfielder Colleen Swift from Morehead State, who is off to a good start in 2023
• A chance for Little Rock to win their 4th straight, something they haven't done since 2018

The Trojans welcome Morehead State to the Coleman Sprots Center Sunday at noon.

For the latest information on Little Rock Soccer, make sure to check out LRTrojans.com. You can also find the team on social media at @LittleRockSOC on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
 
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