Harris-Stowe State University

ST. LOUIS, Mo. - Harris-Stowe State University women's soccer picked up a 4-2 win on Thursday night at Hornets Field against Indiana University Kokomo to open the season. With the win, the Lady Hornets begin the season 1-0 while the Cougars fall to 0-1.

Senior forward Mikai Neal (St. Louis, Mo./Cardinal Ritter College Prep) had a chance to give the Lady Hornets an early lead, but was denied by the Cougars keeper. Senior defender Moenesa Mejias (Trinidad, Trinidad and Tobago/Lewis and Clark CC) gave the Lady Hornets a 1-0 lead on a header three minutes into the game off of a corner from senior forward Naomi Mangiapane (Solingen, Germany/Western Iowa Tech CC).

Freshman goalkeeper Kheilani Alexander (Dallas, Texas/Life High School Waxahachie) kept the Cougars off the board with a save in the 13th minute. Alexander would again keep the Cougars off the board in the 34th minute. Junior forward Laura Bordiga (Valdaone, Italy/Liceo Musicale Bonporti/Monroe College/Pratt CC) had a chance to make it 2-0 Lady Hornets in the 36th minute. The Lady Hornets carried a 1-0 lead into halftime in a tightly contested first half.

Mejias nearly made it 2-0 in the 48th minute with a powerful shot from outside the box that was turned away. Mangiapane would score in the 50th minute on a penalty goal to make it 2-0. The Cougars cut the deficit in half with a goal in the 53rd minute.

Senior midfielder Keziah Oluoch (Nairobi, Kenya/St. Louis Community College) had her goal denied by the Cougars keeper. Junior midfielder Ophelia Coe (Bolton, England/Mineral Area College) added on to the lead in the 65th minute off the assist from junior forward Clara Rosseto Pelegrina (Sao Paulo, Brazil/Oakland City University/University of Jamestown). Neal would get her goal in the 72nd minute on a high arching shot to the far corner to make it 4-1 Lady Hornets. 

Freshman goalkeeper Genesis Rhodes (St. Louis, Mo./Fontbonne University/Webster University) kept the Lady Hornets lead at 4-1 with a save just 31 seconds after Neal's goal. The Cougars cut the lead in half in the 75th minute. Rhodes would make a diving save in the 82nd minute to keep the Lady Hornets ahead by two. Junior defender Emma Noelle Rolfes (Bielefeld, Germany/Hawkeye CC) would have her header denied in the 83rd minute.

The Lady Hornets outshot the Cougars 16-13 and had nine shots on goal as the Cougars had six shots on goal. The Cougars had six corners as the Lady Hornets had three.

The Lady Hornets return to action on Saturday, August 22nd at 5:30 pm at William Woods University in Fulton, Mo.