Multiple Freshman Come Up Big in Conference Play
Friday’s Scoreboard
Ball State 1, Akron 0
Buffalo 1, Miami 0
Ohio 1, Toledo 0
Central Michigan 3, Western Michigan 2
Bowling Green 3, Kent State 1
Eastern Michigan 1, Northern Illinois 0
Stories Courtesy of MAC Sports Information
Ball State 1, Akron 0
Box Score
MUNCIE, Ind. – Freshman Kerrigan Johnsonpicked a perfect time for her first career goal as it came in double overtime with minutes remaining in the match to give the Ball State University Soccer team a 1-0 win over Akron on Friday night at Briner Sports Complex.
With the win, the Cardinals improved to 8-3-2 and 4-2-1 in MAC competition and won their third-straight match. Akron dropped to 4-9-2 and 1-5-1 in conference play.
"We had several opportunities through the entire match and fell short of converting a lot of those," said head coach Craig Roberts. "Fortunately Kerrigan put in a great goal for her first career score. I was delighted for her and also that another freshman, Tatiana Mason, set her up."
Ball State had several close chances throughout the entire night but just couldn't quite find the back of the net. Amanda Shaw and Alessandra Fistrovich were denied goals by a pair of incredible saves from the Akron keeper, and Fistrovich hit the crossbar late in the match as well.
The Cardinals continued to press in overtime though, and their persistence paid off with Johnson's goal. A pass in the attacking third was deflected and Mason collected it just outside the 18. She proceeded to make a beautiful, back-heel pass to leave Johnson wide open and she struck it into the upper 90 of the far post to seal the win.
"It was really exciting. I had just gotten on the field and I saw Tatiana had the ball, so I screamed at her to leave it for me," said Johnson. "I had a few seconds, so I just took my time and tried to place it in the right spot. I was excited, and I screamed, and when my whole team came and tackled me it was the best feeling ever."
The Cardinals were the aggressors all night as they took 14 shots to Akron's five. Half of BSU's shots were on goal. Ball State was awarded eight corners and conceded just two. Tristin Stuteville saved both of the shots that the Zips put on frame.
BSU will look to extend its win streak to four as Buffalo maked the trip to Muncie on Sunday (Oct. 12). The match will kick at 2:00 p.m. ET.
Buffalo 1, Miami 0
Box Score
OXFORD, OH – The University at Buffalo women's soccer team (10-4-0, 4-3-0 MAC) picked up their 10th win of the season on Friday afternoon as they blanked the Miami (OH) RedHawks on the road, 1-0. Sophomore Kaitlyn Walsh netted the game-winner for the Bulls in the 13th minute of the match, her third game-winner of the season.
Ohio 1, Toledo 0
Box Score
TOLEDO, Ohio. – Led by Bryce Hueber's first goal of the season, the Ohio soccer team (6-5-3, 4-1-2 MAC) defeated Mid-American Conference foe, Toledo (8-4-2, 4-3-0 MAC) in regulation, 1-0, Friday afternoon (Oct. 12) in Toledo, helping extend Ohio's unbeaten streak to six games.
"The MAC is such a competitive conference, and you know you are going to be in for a challenge every game," Head coach Aaron Rodger's said. "Bryce Hueber gave us a magical moment with her goal off of her free kick and we were able to manage the game from that point on to get the win. Very proud of the togetherness of this group. It is so vital to the success in our tough conference."
Toledo came out charged with the first shot on goal recorded in the first minute and the second shot on goal recorded in the third minute, however both shots were saved by starting keeper Sydney Malham (Nashville, Tenn.). Ohio registered their first attempt of the game, when Sydney Leckie (Medina, Ohio) fired a shot that was blocked in the 11thminute. Toledo would record the next two attempts, first in the 13thminute on a ball that was blocked, followed by a shot on goal in the 18thminute on a ball that was saved by Malham, her third of the half.
The Bobcats began to push back, recording a corner kick in the 23rdminute that would result in a shot by Abby Townsend (Powell, Ohio) that forced the Rockets' keeper to make a save. Soon after, in the 28thminute, the last attempt of the half was an Ohio shot by Leckie on a ball that would go wide.
At the half, Ohio was outshot five to three, while also recording one shot on goal compared to UT's three.
In net, Malham allowed no goals and three saves in the first 45 minutes.
The Bobcats would get the first attempt in the second half when in the 47thminute, they would release a shot that would be blocked. However, Ohio applied constant pressure that lead to a foul on Toledo resulting in a Bobcat goal off a free kick by Hueber (Cincinnati, Ohio) in the 49thminute, giving Ohio the 1-0 lead.
Toledo, urgent to respond, recorded the next shot attempt in the 50thminute, but Malham would not let it by, recording her fourth save of the game. Jenni Santacaterina (Geneva, Ill.) recorded the next attempt for the Bobcats in the 62ndminute on a ball that would go wide. The Rockets were quick to push back registering the next two shot attempts. The first attempt occurred in the 65thminute on a shot that would go wide followed by the second attempt, again on a ball that would go wide, in the 76thminute.
The next two attempts, both by Maria Collica (Solon, Ohio), resulted in a shot that went high, but also forced the UT keeper to make a save in the 81stminute.
Toledo would continue to push, with a shot on goal attempt in the 82ndminute, but Malham recorded her fifth save of the game that kept the Bobcats ahead of the Rockets, 1-0, headed into the final two minutes of regulation.
In the Rockets final attempt to force an overtime period, a shot in the 88thminute went high of the goal post resulting in a Bobcat victory, 1-0 in the fourth week of MAC play.
Overall, Toledo outshot Ohio, 11 to eight, with the Rockets recording five shots on goal, compared to Ohio's three.
Leckie registered three shots, with none on goal, while Hueber registered one goal on one shot off the bench. Collica recorded two shots, one shot on goal while Santacaterina and Townsend recorded a shot apiece with Townsend also recording a shot on goal.
In net, Malham allowed no goals and registered five saves in 90 minutes in net.
Up next, the Bobcats return to action when they head to Bowling Green to wrap up the weekend on Sunday, Oct. 14. First touch is set for 1 p.m.
Central Michigan 3, Western Michigan 2
Box Score
KALAMAZOO, Mich. -- Freshman midfielder Chesney Wargo made her first career start a memorable one on Friday for the Central Michigan soccer team.
Wargo scored in the 75th minute to break a 2-2 tie and lift the Chippewas to a 3-2 Mid-American Conference victory over archrival Western Michigan at the WMU Soccer Complex.
The win lifted CMU to 6-9, 4-3 MAC. Western is 10-5, 4-3.
Bowling Green 3, Kent State 1
Box Score
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio -- Junior Chelsee Washington's goal less than three minutes into the match gave the Bowling Green State University women's soccer team an early lead, and the Falcons went on to a 3-1 win over Kent State University Friday night (Oct. 12). The Mid-American Conference match was held at a rainy Cochrane Stadium.
With the win, the first-place Falcons improve to 9-3-2 overall and 7-0-0 in MAC play. The Golden Flashes, the defending MAC regular-season champion and the preseason pick to win the league in 2018, are 8-6-1 and 4-3-0, respectively.
Washington scored two goals on the night, while redshirt sophomore Nikki Cox also found the back of the net. Washington's first goal came at the 2:51 mark, and Cox doubled the BG lead with just under 26 minutes gone.
Washington headed home her second goal of the night in the 70th minute to give the Brown and Orange a three-goal lead. Paige Culver got the Flashes on the board, scoring on a free kick with exactly seven minutes to go.
Junior Kathleen Duwve made seven saves in goal for the Falcons. KSU's Faith O'Neill had two stops on the night.
The win was the Falcons' eighth in a row, tying the school record. BGSU is undefeated in the last nine matches (8-0-1).
Eastern Michigan 1, Northern Illinois 0
Box Score
DeKALB, Ill. (EMUEagles.com) – It was a night of firsts for the Eastern Michigan University soccer team against Northern Illinois University in Mid-American Conference action Friday night, Oct. 12, in DeKalb, Ill., as a pair of Eagles turned in outstanding performances to lead EMU past NIU, 1-nil.
Freshman Kylie Frantz(Erie, Pa.-Villa Maria Academy) scored the first goal of her career and junior goalkeeper Mabel Dunn (Oakville, Ontario-White Oaks Secondary) posted her first career shutout with a six-save effort to secure Eastern's first win in DeKalb since 2012.
The first 45 minutes were as lopsided as it gets with Eastern Michigan holding a significant advantage in possession and outshooting Northern Illinois, 15-4. Despite a flurry of EMU chances, including a penalty kick, the score remained locked, 0-0, into halftime.
The match was still even, 0-0, into the final 10 minutes of regulation, when Frantz ripped a shot from the far side of the 18 and bent it inside the far post to put EMU in front, 1-nil.
Dunn and EMU's defense held off the Huskies from there to come away with a crucial 1-nil MAC victory.
EMU now travels to Kalamazoo, Mich. for a clash with in-state foe Western Michigan University Sunday, Oct. 14. The EMU-WMU tilt is scheduled for 1 p.m.
