For the second consecutive game, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville women’s soccer made a first-half tally stand up. The Cougars defeated Indiana State 1-0 Sunday for their fourth consecutive win.
Chelsea Smith, of Collinsville, scored the lone goal in the Cougars Sept. 8 defeat of Indiana State / Photo courtesy of SIUE Sports Information
Chelsea Smith, of Collinsville, put the Cougars on top in the 20th minute with her first goal of the year.Hope Jones found Smith near the six-yard box. Indiana State goalkeeper Brittany San Roman got her hands on Smith’s shot, but it slipped through her gloves and into the net.
“We’re still a work in progress,” SIUE Head Coach Derek Burton said. “Sunday games quite often are pretty ugly. It’s about will. Give credit to Indiana State. They were up for the challenge. We were fortunate to get the goal the way we did, and we got the win.”
Smith led the SIUE offensive attack with three shots. All three of her shots were on frame. The goal is the second of the senior’s career. Both of her goals have been game-winners.
The Cougars (4-1) outshot Indiana State (2-3) for the game, but Indiana State peppered the SIUE goal with 12 second-half shots. SIUE goalkeeper Jennifer Pelley proved equal to the task, tying her career high with nine saves, including eight in the second half. The shutout is the third this season for the sophomore and the 12th of her SIUE career. Pelley is now tied with Kaci Backs for fourth on the school’s career list with the 12 shutouts.
“(Indiana State) was pumping balls forward and giving us all kinds of problems,” Burton said of the second half. “We were asking a lot of our back four. They did a nice job and Jen as well.
“She (Pelley) came up with a few really key saves,” Burton continued. “She handled things that are really dangerous in the waning moments of a game when there is a lot of pressure. She came up big.”
The Cougars remain at home when they play at 5:30 p.m. Friday against Loyola at Korte Stadium. It is the first game of a doubleheader with the men’s team, which takes on Cincinnati at 8 p.m.
