Nov. 4, 2005

Box Score

CHARLESTON, Ill. - (Friday, November 4, 2005) The Redhawks impressive 2005 season came to a close Friday morning when they lost a tightly contested contest 1-0 to Eastern Illinois in the semi-finals of the O'Reilly Ohio Valley Conference Women's Soccer Championships at Lakeside Field in Charleston, Illinois. In a defensive battle of the top defensive teams in the OVC the No. 2 seed Panthers scored the decisive goal in the 35th minute to sink the No. 3 seed Redhawks.

The Redhawks (13-6-1) had trouble mounting any sort of offense as they only recorded three shots and only one on goal.

The Panthers (9-9-2) only managed seven shots with three coming in the first half.

Sharyne Connell netted the game-winner for the Panthers. Connell scored her team-leading fifth goal of the season and 23rd career on a header from the left side of the goalkeeper box. Lee Ann Langsfeld put a free kick into play that found Kellie Floyd on the right flank. Floyd floated a centering pass across the box that Connell put in the net for EIU's first first-half goal since October 9.

The Redhawks desperately tried for scoring opportunities in the second half but were continuously turned away by the Panthers defense.

The Redhawks only shot on goal was at the 89th minute when Lisa Schweppe (St. Charles, MO/St. Charles West) attempted a shot that Panther goalie Tiffany Groene quickly smothered.

OVC Defensive Player of the Year Lindsay Pickering (St. Charles, MO/St. Charles West) made one save and saw her scoreless streak snapped at 312:25 minutes. She finishes the season with a record of 13-6-1.

Schweppe led the team with two shots and sophomore Margie Schaeffler (St. Louis, MO/Incarnate Word) attempted one shot.

The loss ended the Redhawk careers of seniors Schweppe, Megan Hejlek (St. Louis, MO/Nerinx Hall), Ashley DeRoy (St. Louis, MO/Bishop DuNourg), Erin Hartmann (Jackson, MO/Jackson) and Mary Kalinowski (St. Louis, MO/Oakville).