Hilltoppers take 1-0 win over Sycamores
Published 5:58 pm Sunday, August 16, 2026
1/2
Swipe or click to see more
Western Kentucky freshman midfielder Rose Finnegan (right) moves in to defend as Indiana State forward Alex Lehnert prepares to shoot during the Hilltoppers’ 1-0 win Sunday in Terre Haute, Indiana.
(INDIANA STATE ATHLETICS)
2/2
Swipe or click to see more
Western Kentucky sophomore forward Makenna Egan controls the ball during the Hilltoppers’ 0-0 tie against Missouri on Aug. 13 at the WKU Soccer Complex.
(SAVANNAH PHILPOT/WKU Athletics)
Western Kentucky’s women’s soccer team (1-0-1) earned its first win of the season with a 1-0 victory against Indiana State (1-1-0) on Sunday afternoon in Terre Haute, Indiana.
After a lengthy weather delay, WKU (1-0-1) and Indiana State (1-1) got off to a slow start in Terre Haute. Neither team scored in the first half and the teams combined to get off five total shots in the half.
The two teams were more aggressive in the second half, registering 12 total shots. Seven of those shots came from the Hilltoppers. Sophomore forward Makenna Egan finally broke through, finding the back of the net in the 54th minute. That proved to be the game winner as the lone goal of the match.
“We are excited to start the season with two shutouts,” WKU coach Jason Neidell said in a news release. “Defending is a team effort, and Mia (Riddick) has been terrific in goal as well. It was great getting on the road and dealing with a tough away environment. We played extremely well to start the second half, and I think that was the difference in the match. And then we showed a lot of grit in closing out the match.”
Egan’s goal is the first official goal of the season for WKU after a scoreless tie against Missouri in the season opener on Thursday. It was the sixth goal in the sophomore’s career.
The Hilltoppers have started the season with back-to-back shutouts, the first time doing so since the 2021 season. It was goalkeeper Mia Riddick’s second career clean sheet. She had two saves in the match.
Email newsletter signup
WKU moves to 3-0-0 all-time against Indiana State.
The Hilltoppers will return home to face UAB on Thursday at the WKU Soccer Complex. Game time is 7 p.m.
