WKU snapped a 24-match conference unbeaten streak for Missouri State that dated back to 2022. WKU's four goals were scored by Georgia Liapis (2), Lauren Alexander, and Alyvia Walls. For Alexander and Walls it marked the first of their collegiate careers. All four goals were assisted.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Missouri State controlled possession in the early minutes of the match. The Bears broke the scoring column in the seventh minute.
Maggie Bellair charted the first shot on goal for the Tops 10 minutes into action. Maddie Davis had managed two saves in goal at that point in the match. Then, the action flipped to the Hilltopper side of the field and Makenna Egan found Georgia Liapis for her sixth of the season. A few minutes later, Danielle Lewin fed Liapis from the corner to give WKU a 2-1 lead in the match.
Missouri State evened the score a 2-2 just over a minute later. The Bears would take a 3-2 lead five minutes before the halftime break as the first 45 ended with Missouri State maintaining the lead.
Liapis led the Hilltoppers on offense in the first half with two goals on two attempts. Egan and Lewin each recorded one assist apiece in the frame. Davis finished the half with four saves and three goals allowed.
Play in the second half slowed as the defense for both teams tightened. Alyvia Walls and Amanda Simpson each recorded a shot in the first 10 minutes. Neither team managed a shot on goal in the first 29 minutes of the second half.
Then, in the 75th minute Kora Kipley fed Lauren Alexander on a corner and she buried it in the back of the net, evening the score at three all. The goal marked the first of Alexander's collegiate career.
In the 84th minute, WKU managed a corner and Liapis connected with Alyvia Walls to put WKU in front, 4-3. Maddie Davis would chart her sixth save with just a minute left, putting the finishing touches on the third straight win for WKU.
NOTABLES
- With the win WKU moves to 7-4-2 and 4-0-1 in CUSA play. WKU now has 13 points in CUSA play this season. Three of WKU's four wins in league play were on the road.
- The Hilltoppers currently sit in second place in the table with 13 points, just one point behind league leader Liberty.
- WKU is one of only two teams in CUSA without a loss in league play this season.
- Missouri State hadn't lost a conference match since October 23, 2022. WKU's win on Sunday snapped a 24 match unbeaten streak.
- WKU's four goals in a conference match mark the most since 2021 when they defeated FIU 4-3. All four goals scored Sunday afternoon were assisted.
- Georgia Liapis led the offensive attack for WKU with two goals on three shots and an assist in 90 minutes of action.
- Liapis is now at seven goals for the season. With that total, Liapis is second in CUSA in goals scored this season.
- Liapis is also third in CUSA in points with 16 this season, scoring seven goals and assisting in two.
- Both of Liapis' goals were assisted. The first by Makenna Egan and the second by Danielle Lewin.
- Egan now has four assists this season, marking the third most in the league.
- Lauren Alexander scored her first collegiate goal which tied the match at three in the 75th minute. Kora Kipley assisted in the goal.
- Alyvia Walls scored the game-winning goal for WKU in the 84th minute, marking the first of her collegiate career. Liapis assisted in the goal.
- Walls finished with one goal on two shots in a full 90 minutes Sunday afternoon.
- Kipley finished with the one assist, logging a complete 90 minutes in the win.
- For the second straight match, Maddie Davis recorded six saves to her name. Davis is credited with her third straight win in goal.
- Davis now has 39 saves this season. She holds the third best save percentage in CUSA with a mark of 0.813.
- WKU finished with six corners on Sunday. All six of which came in the second half with both facilitating the game-tying and winning goals.
- WKU's seven wins this season match the total from 2022 when they finished 7-9-3.
- The Hilltoppers four wins in league play match the 2023 total when they finished the season 4-2-2.
- The all-time series mark between the Tops and Bears is now 1-1. Sunday's win marked the first ever for WKU over Missouri State.
- Going into the matchup, Missouri State had not lost a regular season home conference matchup in 16 consecutive matches.
- The Hilltoppers snapped a streak that started back on October 9, 2022.
QUOTABLE
On WKU's third straight road win head coach Jason Neidell said "I really don't have words to describe what happened today. This team just keeps finding ways to win soccer games. We came from behind twice and played four different systems during the game. The character and adaptability of this group is remarkable. Missouri State is a very good team, and they had us on the ropes for large segments of the game. But our team weathered the storms and stuck together. So proud of these kids."
NEXT UP
WKU will return to Bowling Green for a pair of matches to round out the home slate. The Tops host UTEP on Thursday, Oct. 16. Kick-off from the WKU Soccer Complex is set for 7 p.m.
Follow the Hilltoppers: For complete information on WKU Soccer, visit WKUSports.com or follow the program via social media @WKU_Soccer on X and Instagram and @WKUSoccer on Facebook.
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