MOREHEAD | The first step toward defending its Ohio Valley Conference Tournament title begins Thursday for the Morehead State football team when it travels east to face rival Marshall at 7 p.m. at Hoops Family Field in Huntington, W.Va.
The Eagles enter the competition after winning two home practice games last week: They defeated Pikeville 3-0 on Wednesday and lost to Cincinnati 6-0 on Saturday.
Morehead State and Marshall have a lot in common as they enter the 2024 season. Both have new head coaches (Paul Cox for the Eagles and Rafa Simoes for the Thundering Herd) and both have a crop of new players (17 for MSU and 19 for MU).
“We’re excited to play a local rival. (It’s) something to look forward to in our first three games,” Cox said of the clash. “There will be a lot of unknowns going into the game with a new head coach, 19 new players and no footage to look at. I know Rafa will get them ready and fired up and it will be an entertaining opening game under the lights.”
It’s the Eagles’ first of three road games to start the season. MSU finished 5-5-1 on the road last fall, including 4-5-1 as a true road team.
Morehead State finished the 2023 season with an overall record of 9-6-5 and a second-place finish in the Ohio Valley Conference before holding both of their opponents scoreless in the OVC Tournament to claim their fourth league postseason title. The Eagles’ season ended in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, where they lost 5-0 to top-seeded and eventual national champion Florida State in Tallahassee, Florida.
Five award winners, four of whom were regulars, return for the Blue and Gold. It will be a young roster, as 19 of the 26 players have less than two years of college experience.
The Eagles averaged 1.15 goals per game and conceded 1.25 goals per game last season. They had 234 shots on goal while opponents saved 236, had 87 shots on net while opponents saved 80, took 76 corners while opponents saved 82 and committed 194 fouls while opponents saved 206.
Defender of a doctoral student Anna LohrerSenior Striker Erin FitzgeraldYoung defender Grace Houck and second-year defender Hannah Burke all return as starters from last season. Lohrer was named to the OVC All-Tournament Team last fall and was named a Player to Watch this year. Sophomore Forward Hedda Ornberg (19 games, 10 starts, 4 goals, 1 assist, 9 points) is the team’s leading returning scorer. She and Burke were named to the 2023 OVC All-Newcomer Team.
Defender of a doctoral student Maddie FeldhausDefender in second year of study Mary Trudeau And Natasha Tannerand second-year midfielder Gwen Ladd will be back in 2023.
Three other players had to sit out last season: the goalkeeper in postgraduate studies Reegan GarritySecond-year striker Jade Perrin and rookie defender Kylie Bender.
In the offseason, MSU secured the services of two transfers, twin sisters Kamryn Baquero And Kennedy BaqueroThe pair are junior midfielders at Sam Houston State.
Twelve people will join the team as absolute newcomers in 2024, including the goalkeeper Lilly Baileyforward BB Bonzheimforward Marinna Camposgoalkeeper Claire Cressforward Ella Fullerforward Carly Gilbertdefender Colletta Hardmanforward Ava PeckMidfielder Elena Sciannaforward Brylie Tavares-Brightforward Carlie Thurmond and further McKenna Young.
Morehead State was picked to finish third in the OVC preseason poll.
Marshall finished its 2023 season with a 7-9-1 record and a 5-5 home record. It won its last contest at Hoops Family Field with a 1-0 victory over Coastal Carolina, but the Thundering Herd did not qualify for the Sun Belt Conference Tournament. MU was picked to finish 13th in the 2024 SBC preseason coaches poll.
Like MSU, the Thundering Herd have played two exhibition games at Delaware and Drexel, but no results have been released from those games. Marshall will play its next two games on the road before hosting Belmont on Sunday, September 1.
MU has seven key players and only four starters from a team that was outscored 29-19 last fall. It also outscored Marshall by nearly two to one in shots on goal (259-138). On defense, it saved 91 shots while its opponents saved 93. Its opponents also had an 81-32 advantage in corner kicks while the total number of fouls was almost the same (179 for Marshall versus 152 for its opponents).
Junior forward/midfielder Bailey Fisher was the team’s leading scorer last season with seven goals and 14 points. Senior forward Alyssa Hardin added three points. Senior midfielder Ava Hall started 16 games, while junior Alexis Wolgemuth (9 starts, 5-3-1 record, 0.81 goals-against average, 47 saves and five shutouts) and sophomore Ashlyn Drayer (8 starts, 2-6-0 record, 2.62 goals-against average, 45 saves and one shutout) split time in goal.
It’s the second straight year the two teams will open the season against each other and the fourth straight season they’ve met. They faced off last fall in Morehead, with the Thundering Herd taking a 3-0 victory. Marshall also leads the series at 8-1-2. MSU’s only win was in 2005. The Eagles have an overall record of 0-5-1 in Huntington and will look to end their five-game winless streak against MU. The only tie in Huntington was in 2011.
The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ at https://es.pn/3WEwan6 and can be heard on 88.1 FM WMUL in Huntington. Live stats can be followed at https://bit.ly/3Apg0qh. Admission is free.
MSU will return to action on Sunday with another road game when it travels to Lexington, Kentucky to face Kentucky at 7:30 p.m. The Eagles’ first home game is Sunday, August 25, against Detroit Mercy. Kickoff for that game is at 1 p.m.
