Early Lead Evaporates in Milligan Women’s Soccer’s Loss to Reinhardt

MILLIGAN, Tenn. – On Saturday afternoon at Anglin Field, the Milligan University women's soccer team looked to be ripe for another conference win with an early pair of statement goals. However, the Visiting Reinhardt University Eagles would score four unanswered goals to knock off the Buffs, 4-2.

With the loss, Milligan's overall record is now 5-5-2, and the squad has a 5-2-1 record within the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC).

In just the 8th minute of the tilt, Natalie Roper fashioned a DIY goal on a gorgeous shot into the bottom-left corner of the net past a diving Reinhardt goalkeeper, giving Milligan an early 1-0 lead. Nine minutes later, Grace Baldwin was able to deflect a Kara McDaniel corner kick into the net over the top of the goalie from just a few feet shy of the goal line, giving MU a 2-0 advantage. Unfortunately, just over two minutes later, Reinhardt would nab a goal via an own goal on a Reinhardt corner kick. A deflection by a Milligan defender went straight over Akyla Walcott and found the back of the net. That would make the score 2-1 until the 44th and 45th minutes, when the same player for the Eagles scored a pair of goals to give RU a 3-2 halftime lead.

Milligan could not get anything going in the second half, as only the Eagles tallied a goal in the 71st minute to make it a 4-2 Buffaloes loss in AAC play.

Reinhardt held a 19-11 shot advantage. Out of Milligan's 11 shots in the game, seven were on net, as Roper and Baldwin were the main contributors with three and two shots take, respectively. Halle Steel took two shots, as well, with Nikki Shirley, Amber McCleskey and Ella Sawa taking the remaining three on-goal attempts.

Walcott had a bit of a tough day, allowing four goals in the matchup. She did make 11 saves, though, as she was simply peppered with attempts from the start. She falls to 4-5-2 with the loss.

The Buffaloes now have their senior night matchup to look forward to on Wednesday, Oct. 9 at 5 p.m. against Kentucky Christian University as they look to return to their winning form.