EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Indiana State and Evansville each ventured into Missouri Valley Conference play for the first time on a wet and cool day at Arad McCutchan Field in southern Indiana. In a tight defensive struggle, it took nearly 93 minutes of action before Evansville came away with the hard fought 1-0 victory over Indiana State.
 
The Sycamores fell to 6-4-2, 0-1-0 MVC on the season while Evansville improved to 3-7-1, 1-0-0 MVC. Evansville has now won each of the last five meetings in the series.
 
In the 90^th minute and with seconds displayed on the scoreboard, a shot by Evansville's Osinski bounced hard off the cross bar and the two teams slugged it out to send the match into overtime with a scoreless tie. Evansville would finally break through with a goal in the 93^rd minute when Maggie Leazer found the back of the net for the 1-0 victory. Leazer took a cross from Montana Portenier at the top of the box where she finished the play in the back right corner of the net.

In the 12th minute, the Sycamores got their first shot on goal and it came from the Valley's leading scorer Katie Wells. She was able to break away from the Evansville defense but the Purple Aces goalkeeper Michaela Till was in position to grab the save. She led an offense flurry earlier in the opening stanza when she fired a shot towards the goal which was blocked and led to a pair of corner kick opportunities for the Sycamores.

Later in the first half, Hannah Sullivan was tested three times in goal, including in the 40th minute when Evansville's Moily Lear tried to find the left side of the net but Sullivan dove and stretched to block the ball. The Purple Aces had another shot a minute later which Sullivan leaped and high and grabbed with her gloves and send both teams back into the locker room scoreless.
 
Alina Steffen got things going for the Sycamores to start the second half as she took a shot which was saved in the 46^th minute. The Purple Aces were whistled for a penalty just outside of the box in the 47^th minute but Well's shot was blocked by the defensive front line.
 
Pam Silies had a shot on goal in the 82^nd minute off the feed from Katie Wells but Till was there for the save. The Sycamores avoided giving up their first goal on the Purple Aces' counter attack when a wide open attempt dribbled on the ground wide right of the frame. Evansville kept up the offensive pressure in the 84^th minute when Sara Osinski took a shot which was just wide left. Molly Lear took a shot just seconds later which sailed just high over the cross bar.
 
Caitlyn Eddy and Katie Wells each owned three shots in the game while Eddy had a pair of shots on goal. Katie Sidloski, Alina Steffen and Pam Silies also added a shot in the contest.

The Purple Aces held a 21-9 edge in shots, while the Sycamores tallied a 6-5 cushion in shots on goal. Corner kicks were level at five.

Indiana State returns to action on Saturday, September 29 when they host MVC preseason favorite Loyola at 7 pm (ET) inside Memorial Stadium. The game will be seen live on The Valley On ESPN.