Published: September 06, 2008 01:08 am      

Cougar women prevail; men’s team in action today

It was a long, hot day on the pitch Friday for the Mountain State University women’s soccer team.

But when it counted, forward-midfielder Manuela Acosta found the energy to work through two defenders and score in overtime to give the Cougars a 3-2 victory over visiting Ohio Valley University.

“I was playing really, really slow,” the sophomore all-Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference standout said. “I was really tired, but it was good at the end.”

In the second minute of sudden-death, teammate Ella Osborne beat a defender on the left side, then crossed to Acosta in the middle.

Acosta, last season’s KIAC assist leader at a center-midfield spot, had moved to forward for the past two games in place of suspended conference scoring leader Erica Alderman.

“It makes a difference when you’re working combination plays with other people for two weeks,” coach Kelly Borck said. “Adjusting to Manuela was a big change of pace for the girls playing up top with (other forward) Lindsey Denny.

Acosta, from Columbia, did not arrive back in Beckley for the start of the new school year until last weekend.

She’s had just one practice at forward, but gamely pushed forward against Ohio Valley and took five shots on goal.

Her final shot decided what had been a close game throughout.

Ohio Valley (0-3) led twice, on goals by Marie Buffy and Ayaka Ito, only to allow the Cougars to roar back into a tie.

Osborne, a freshman from St. Albans, scored off Jessica Proudfoot’s corner kick midway through the first half.

Denny, a sophomore from Pataskala, Ohio, ripped a shot past the Flying Scots’ goalkeeper in the final minute before halftime to make it 2-2.

The 1-2 Cougars, coming off an 8-0 loss to Union (Ky.) Wednesday, held OVU to five shots on goal.

The MSU men’s soccer team hopes to get on the winning track today in a 4 p.m. match with Tennessee-Wesleyan at the YMCA soccer complex.

The Cougars are 0-2 following two tough losses last week at a tournament in Virginia against Hampden-Sydney College (4-0) and Lynchburg College (5-0).

“We came up with two blanks, but (today) we’re shooting for putting the ball in the back of the net,” coach John Birkelbach said.

MSU started the game with Hampden-Sydney on a sour note, giving up a quick goal and then losing junior midfielder Moussa Siddibe on a red card.

Last year, the Cougars picked up two red cards in a 4-1 loss at Tennessee-Wesleyan.

“We can’t afford to have that happen to us,” Birkelbach said. “Our guys have to stay disciplined.

“This is our home opener. The boys are fired up and ready to avenge that loss.”

MSU was 9-6-2 last season, it’s second year of collegiate soccer.

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