Southeast Missouri State soccer team rallies vs. SIUE, falls 3-2 in 2OT

The Southeast Missouri State soccer team made a big comeback but could not salvage anything from the final leg of its two-game Ohio Valley Conference weekend road swing.

Southeast rallied from a 2-0 second-half deficit to force overtime, but host Eastern Illinois wound up recording a 3-2 double-overtime win Sunday.

The Redhawks, who lost 1-0 at SIU Edwardsville on Friday, fell to 2-9-3 overall and 1-3-1 in OVC play. The Panthers are 4-10 and 2-3.

EIU scored twice in the first 30 minutes of the game and still led 2-0 more than 19 minutes into the second half before Southeast rallied.

Sophomore Taylor Byrd scored her first career goal, an unassisted tally, with 25 minutes, 37 seconds left to cut the deficit in half.

Southeast pulled even with just 2:55 remaining in regulation. Freshman Storm French, a St. Vincent High School graduate, headed in a cross from freshman Ashley Geist. It was the first collegiate goal for French.

Neither squad scored in the first 10-minute sudden-death overtime period. EIU ended it on a goal with 2:56 left in the second and final 10-minute extra session.

The Redhawks outshot EIU 20-17, including 13-4 in the second half. Southeast junior keeper Ashton Aubuchon recorded three saves.

Southeast returns home to face Eastern Kentucky at 6:30 p.m. Friday in the Redhawks' senior night game. They play their final home contest against Morehead State on Sunday.