CARBONDALE, Ill. – No. 8 seed Murray State edged the fifth seeded Drake women's soccer team, 1-0 in the first round of the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament Thursday, Oct. 27 at the Lew Hartzog Complex on the campus of Southern Illinois University.
 
Drake's season comes to an end with an overall record of 5-8-6. The Racers advanced to the quarterfinals where they will play No. 4 seed Southern Illinois Sunday (Oct. 30) at 1 p.m.
 
The Bulldogs ended the season on a 3-1-1 stretch during the final five games of the year, outscoring opponents 6-3 during that span. 
 
"We made a good run at the end of the season," head coach Lindsey Horner said. "We owe a lot to our seniors for that."
 
The senior quartet of Meghan Brown, Vianey Lopez, Chloe Jones and Rachel Panther played their last game as a Bulldog.
 
Through the first 45 minutes of the match, Murray State controlled all facets of the game. The Racers outshot the Dogs five to one in the first half, yet the game was scoreless at the halftime break.
 
Drake's lone shot of the opening half came in the eighth minute from senior Rachel Panther as she recorded her sixth shot in the last three games. 
 
A foul in the box called on Lily Overstreet in the 55^th minute set up a Murray State penalty kick. Morgan Bodker's attempt was saved by Lopez lunging to her left to knock the penalty kick away. Drake gained momentum back and Lopez was swarmed by her teammates.
 
In the 62nd minute, Saraya Young teed up a shot from the right side of the six-yard box, but the MVC saves leader Lopez batted the laser up and over the goal.
 
"Vianey absolutely kept us in the game when we had our backs against the wall," Horner said. 
 
The bend but don't break Drake defense was eventually punctured by the Racers after Grace Bodker laid out a perfect corner kick in the 76th minute setting up her sister Morgan for a go-ahead strike into the left side of the net.
 
Murray State outshot the Bulldogs by an 11-4 margin. Drake continued to battle until the final whistle. Junior Emma Nagel fired her first shot in 82nd minute, however it was saved in the lower right position of the goal by Racer keeper Jamie Skarupsky. 
 
"We gained a lot of experience this season," Horner stated. "We hope the younger players are eager to get our program to the top of the league."

Notes

• Thursday marked the first time since 2017 that Drake did not advance in the MVC Tournament.
• Murray State leads the all-time series, 2-1, with the teams splitting the last two meetings. 
• Drake's MVC Tournament record now stands at 10-17-3.
• Rachel Panther's 32 shots this season mark the second most by a Drake player since Libby Halverson hat 33 last season and is the second only Bulldog to record 30+ shots since 2017. 
• Emma Nagel's five goals led the team, while senior Meghan Brown entered the season with zero goals and scored four over the course of the 2022 season.