The University of Evansville women’s soccer team battled back from one-goal deficits twice, but could not hold off Middle Tennessee in overtime as the Aces fell to the Blue Raiders, 2-1, on Sunday evening in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

Sophomore Mikayla Harvey and freshman Jayme-Lee Hunter each scored for the Aces (4-6), while junior Sara Osinski led with a match-high three shots. The Blue Raiders (3-4) were led by Peyton DePriest, who scored twice for Middle Tennessee, and Amber Hoot who provided the game-winning goal.

In the 14th minute, Middle Tennessee struck first as DePriest scored her first of the evening to provide the Raiders with a 1-0 advantage.

The Aces responded just six minutes later as Harvey scored off a corner kick by Osinski to tie the match at a goal a piece.

Just two minutes into the second half, Middle Tennessee went back in front on DePriest’s second goal. The lead lasted until the 83rd minute when Hunter received a pass from fellow freshman Katie Schroeder and scored from distance from the top left corner of the box to send the match to overtime.

In the first overtime, Middle Tennessee found the game-winner off the foot of Hoot, who scored from the top of the box for the 3-2 win for the Blue Raiders.

The Aces were narrowly out-shot, 17-15, while Middle Tennessee earned nine corner kicks to Evansville’s three.

Missouri Valley Conference play begins for the Aces this weekend as UE heads back home to face Loyola on Friday night at 7 p.m. at Arad McCutchan Stadium.

After a two-game road swing, the University of Evansville men’s soccer team returned home and captured a 2-0 victory over Eastern Illinois at Arad McCutchan Stadium in Evansville, Indiana.

Leading the Aces (5-2) were freshman Adam Snow and Brian Hughes, who each scored in the win, while senior Chris Shuck tallied a game-high three shots. EIU (2-2-4) was led by Alessandro Corti and Christian Sosnowski with a pair of shots each. Aces’ sophomore Frederik Reimer earned his first victory of the season in goal, preserving a shutout and making three saves between the posts.

“Today was a testament to the depth of our squad. Its a testament to our squad to come in and get a result today,” said Aces’ head coach Marshall Ray. “Credit to Eastern Illinois, they are hard to break down. We were able to get a goal early and maybe should have had one or two there, but they made it difficult for us in the second half, as well.”

“We know if we can keep the other team from scoring, we’re going to have a lot better chance of winning,” said Ray. “Matches like today, it takes focus and energy and effort and to make sure that’s something we’re doing for 90 minutes. Today we were able to do that.”

The Aces struck first in the 17th minute as Snow received the ball at the top of the box and calmly dribbled his way into the box. Snow stopped and blasted ball past the goalkeeper into the back of the net to give the Aces a 1-0 lead.

In the second half, Evansville added some insurance in the 59th minute as a corner kick by sophomore Jesse Stafford Lacey looped into the box where senior Ian McGrath met the ball and centered it in front of the goal. As the ball hung in the air, Hughes wasted little time and headed the ball in to provide UE with a 2-0 cushion.

The Aces possessed the ball much of the final 30 minutes of the match as the Panthers were only able to muster two shots in the final third of the contest.

Evansville out-shot the Panthers, 10-7, with both sides putting three on-goal.

The Aces return to action on Saturday as Evansville begins Missouri Valley Conference play on the road at Missouri State in Springfield, Missouri at 6 p.m.