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CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Torey Byrd headed home a goal with 20:21 left on the clock to give the Southeast Missouri soccer team a 2-1 comeback victory over Morehead State on Sunday.

The Redhawks (4-9-3, 3-3-1 Ohio Valley) closed out their home season with their second-straight win, the first time this season Southeast has won consecutive matches.

“It was great to walk out with a win today,” Southeast head coach Heather Nelson said. “We have a realistic opportunity to make it to the OVC Tournament after how we performed this weekend, which is always the goal.”

The Eagles (1-11-2, 1-4-1 OVC) drew first blood in the 19th minute. After a Southeast foul, Paige Weber won a 50/50 battle off a free kick and found Elizabeth McSparin in front for a shot that slipped just inside the goal post.

It took Southeast less than five minutes to find the equalizer. Jacey Boyko crossed a ball into the box that Kasey Crowden won a 50/50 ball with MSU goalkeeper Elizabeth Floyd against. Her header found Storm French, who tapped the ball in to the vacated net for her second goal in the last three matches.

“Storm is very intense when anything is around the frame of the goal,” Nelson said. “I look forward to her playing more at the position where we can get her some more experience. We were a little hungrier around the goal this weekend. Kasey flicking the cross on for the first goal was big.”

MSU had one more outstanding scoring opportunity late in the first half. A corner kick cross found the foot of Holly Tilley at the top of the 18-yard box. Tilley blasted a shot in mid air that appeared labeled for the upper 90, but Renee Kertz made perhaps her best save of the season, diving to her right and deflecting the shot off the goal post and to a Redhawk defender for a clear. That save kept the contest tied at 1-1 at the break, MSU held a 6-5 lead in shot attempts in the opening frame.

“Renee in my mind was the player of the game for us with the save she made at the end of the first half,” Nelson said. “If she doesn't make that save, we don't pick up the three points today.””

The Eagles put tremendous pressure on the Redhawk defense in the second half, controlling the ball for long stretches of the final regulation frame. MSU enjoyed an 8-3 advantage in second half shots, but directed only two on Kertz.

Southeast went on the attack in the 70th minute and Paige Luehmann's first cross went wide of everyone to the far corner. Crowden alertly chased the ball down before it went out of bounds and served a high ball back into the middle that Byrd headed cleanly into the goal for her third tally of the season.

The Eagles attempted three more shots in the final 20 minutes, but only one was directed on goal as Kertz helped secure the Redhawks' win.

MSU finished up with a 14-8 advantage in shots and a 6-2 edge in shots on goal. Southeast took two corner kicks compared to only one by Morehead State.

Kertz stopped five of six shots to pick up her second-straight victory. Elizabeth Floyd allowed two goals on two shots.

Southeast will play its final three matches of the regular season on the road, starting with an Oct. 19 tilt at Belmont.