Mid-American Conference

Sunday’s Women’s Soccer Results
Ohio 1, Northern Kentucky 0
Ball State 1, Marquette 0
Eastern Michigan 1, Detroit 0
Cleveland State 2, Akron 1 (2 OT)
Xavier 2, Bowling Green 1
Milwaukee 3, Northern Illinois 1
Purdue 4, Toledo 0
Wright State 1, Miami 0
 
Stories courtesy of MAC Sports Information Departments
 
Ohio 1, Northern Kentucky 0
Boxscore
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – A goal by senior Alivia Milesky midway through the second half was all the Ohio soccer team (2-0-0) would need as they defeated Northern Kentucky (1-1-0), 1-0, Sunday evening (Aug. 25) inside the NKU Soccer Stadium.
 
"Obviously we are happy with the result tonight," Head coach Aaron Rodgers said. "NKU is a strong team that has had the better of us the last couple of seasons and has been very good in their conference. The thing that stands out to me is how connected our entire group was tonight. Our depth and the contribution of so many players lead us to a very good performance."
 
After an uneventful first 15 minutes, sophomore Morgan Collica (Aurora, Ohio) fired off the first shot for the Bobcats in the 16thminute, followed by another attempt moments later from Courtney Daugerdas (Libertyville, Ill.) that went high of the net. 
 
NKU got their first attempt in the 22ndminute, followed by senior Sydney Leckie (Medina, Ohio) firing the ball at the net moments later, forcing the NKU keeper to just poke the ball over the net, keeping the game scoreless. 
 
The Norse got back-to-back attempts in the 25thand 27thminutes, before senior Alivia Milesky (Plain City, Ohio) recorded a shot of her own on a ball that would just go over the top of the net. Ohio kept the pressure on, with sophomore Abby Townsend (Powell, Ohio) recording an attempt in the 35thminute before freshman Olivia Page (Springboro, Ohio) fired the ball at the net, forcing the NKU keeper to make another save.
 
The Norse registered a shot before the end of the half with the ball going wide of the net, however the game would go to the half with it tied at 0-0.
 
Overall, Ohio outshot NKU, 7-5, with the Bobcats recording two shots on goal to NKU's 1.
 
The Bobcats got the first attempt in the second half off of a shot from Milesky in the 48thminute, however it would go just wide of the net, keeping the game scoreless. Milesky got another shot off in the 53rdminute, however this one also went wide of the net.
 
NKU finally got a shot off in the 58thminute, with the ball going wide of the net.
 
The Bobcats finally struck in the 61stminute when Milesky scored off of a ball from Townsend, giving Ohio a 1-0 lead.
 
The Bobcats continued to put pressure on the NKU defense with sophomore Olivia Sensky (Powell, Ohio) recording a shot of her own in the 67thminute that forced the Norse keeper to make a save. Townsend recoded a shot on goal of her own in the 74thminute that forced the keeper to make another save to keep the Bobcats lead at 1-0.
 
NKU attempted to get the equalizer in the 84thminute on a shot, however it would go just over the top of the net, keeping Ohio's lead at 1-0.
 
The Bobcats attempted to add on in the 87thminute when freshman Maddie Young (Cincinnati, Ohio) recorded a shot that went wide, followed by a shot from Leckie that forced the NKU keeper to make the save to keep the game at 1-0.
 
Neither team would score over the remaining three minute, helping seal the 1-0 victory for the Bobcats.
 
Overall, the Bobcats outshot NKU, 15-7, with Ohio recording seven shots on goal to NKU's one.
 
Ohio was led by Milesky who scored one goal on four shots, followed by Townsend who registered one assist on two shots with one on goal. Leckie also added two shots on goal for the Bobcats, while Daugerdas, junior Jenni Santacaterina (Geneva, Ill.), Sensky and Collica all recorded shots for Ohio.
 
In net, junior Sydney Malham (Nashville, Tenn.) got the start and did not allow a goal in 45 minutes, while making one save. Sophomore Sam Wexell (Irwin, Pa.) played the second half and did not allow a goal or record a save in 45 minutes of action.
 
The Bobcats return to action on Friday, Aug. 30 when Ohio hosts Cleveland State. First touch is set for 4 p.m. at Chessa Field.
 
Ball State 1, Marquette 0
Boxscore
MUNCIE, Ind. – After a 6-0 win to open the season, the Ball State soccer team knew it faced a completely different challenge with Big East foe Marquette coming to town. But thanks to a late goal by senior Sam Kambol, the Cardinals were able to grind out a 1-0 victory on Sunday afternoon at Briner Sports Complex.
 
Ball State moved to 2-0-0 on the year while Marquette dropped to 0-2-0.
 
"I knew it was going to be a tough game because we hadn't yet seen the type of physicality Marquette possessed," said Ball State head coach Josh Rife. "But our kids are gritty. They are tough, they battle, and they compete. What a great opening weekend and great game today to get under our belts. We played two completely different types of games this weekend and won both, so I'm really proud of our team."
 
After nine overtime contests a season ago for the Cardinals, the match appeared to be headed in that direction with very few opportunities to score between both teams. Before Kambol's goal, the two sides had combined for a total of six shots on frame. Goalkeeper Tristin Stuteville saved all four of the shots she faced for her second consecutive clean sheet in as many games.
 
Despite the limited chances, Yela Ziswler passed a ball down the field to a running Kambol in the 72nd minute that took some big bounces off the turf. The Marquette keeper was forced to leave her mark to try and beat Kambol to the ball, but the senior volleyed a shot over the keeper and into the net for the lone score of the match.
 
The Ball State defense took it from there as the Cardinals stood strong until the clock showed all zeros. Overall, Ball State produced six shots with three on goal. Corner kicks were even on the day with both teams earning three.
 
BSU will look to ride the momentum from its 2-0-0 start into two more upcoming home contests. The Cardinals welcome Illinois State to Muncie on Thursday and Loyola Sunday.
 
Eastern Michigan 1, Detroit 0
Boxscore
DETROIT, Mich. – The Eastern Michigan University women's soccer team defeated the University of Detroit Mercy, 1-0, Aug. 25 at Titan Field to claim their first victory of the 2019 season.
 
Marla Cobetto (Trenton, Mich.-Trenton) scored her first goal of the season to lift the Eagles over the Titans.
 
EMU dominated possession in the first half of play. Although the Green and White fired off four shots, two of which came from Amanda Cripps (Bradford, Ontario-Trinity Catholic), the Titans' defense was able to stop the threats from the Eagles.
 
The Eagles limited the Titans to just one shot while holding a 6-0 advantage in corners in the first 45 minutes of play.
 
After the break, Cobetto scored the game-winner in the 54th minute on a cross from Maggie McCullough (London, Ontario-Oakridge Secondary) to the far side of the goal.
 
In goal, Mabel Dunn (Oakville, Ontario-White Oaks Secondary) recorded four saves, all of which occurred in the second half on nine shot attempts by Detroit Mercy.
 
Despite the offensive attack in the second half by the Titans, the Eagles finished with a 12-10 advantage in shots, seven of which were on goal, as well as an eight-to-four advantage in corners.
 
Eastern Michigan continues their road tilt Thursday, Aug. 29 at 7 p.m. when they visit in-state rival Michigan State.
 
Cleveland State 2, Akron 1 (2 OT)
Boxscore

AKRON, Ohio— The Akron women's soccer team dominated possession and won the offensive battle against the Vikings as the Zips outshot Cleveland State, 15-to-9, however, the Vikings topped Akron, 2-1, on an extra-time golden goal Sunday afternoon at Krenzler field. 
 
After 90-minutes was not enough time to determine a result between Akron and Cleveland State, the two sides headed into overtime. Akron garnered one shot while CSU recorded a trio of shots including the game-winner. 
 
"Very disappointed for the players who worked extremely hard. We were well in control of the game for large periods but at the end of the day, we didn't put away our chances," said head coach Noreen Herlihy. We have to learn from this now and move on to the next game."
 
The Akron offense registered match-high 15 shots with seven shots falling on frame. Leading the way for the Zips in Akron's offensive third was freshman Aislinn Meany (Ennis, Ireland) as Zips forward tallied a career-best eight shots and four shots on goal in the contest. From the backline, senior Ashley Amato (Pittsburgh, Pa.) garnered three shots, while three more Zips added a shot each. 
 
Freshman Vanessa Berlin (Gau-Odernheim, Germany) earned her second consecutive start in the net for Akron and went on to pull in one save. In the second half, freshman Libby Harper (Hatfield, England) subbed into the contest for the final 45 minutes of the match and recorded a career-best 4 saves. 
 
Cleveland State got off to a quick start to the match with a goal at the three-minute mark of the contest. 
 
Despite falling behind early, the Akron offense won the first half outshooting the Vikings, 7-to-4. 
 
The Zips went on to tie the game just minutes before the first half whistle blew in the 43rd minute. Kale notched her first career score at the 42:30 mark while Lobato recorded her career assist. 
 
Prior to the game-tying score, Akron had several chances throughout the first half to even the score as Meany and Lobato combined three shots on goal. 
 
Akron continued to dominate possession and pressure the ball into its offensive third in the second stanza as the Zips outshot CSU 7-to-3. 
 
The Zips strung together five straight shots in a ten-minute span and held the Vikings without a shot. Meany and Amato registered a pair of shots while freshman Emily Clopp (Canonsburg, Pa.) chipped in a shot that went high of the net.  
 
In the final 20 minutes of the contest, Amato and Meany again tallied one shot on goal each but both attempts were corralled in by the CSU keeper. 

UA did not record a shot attempt in the first overtime period, while Meany missed her mark with a shot with just over five minutes left to play in the contest. 

The Zips return to action over the Labor Day weekend with a pair of matches against Niagara and Morehead State. Akron hosts the Purple Eagles at FirstEnergy Stadium on Thursday, Aug. 29, at 7 p.m. Then, the Zips head back on the road on Sunday, Sept. 1, to Morehead, Ky., as Akron takes on Morehead State at 1 p.m.

 
Xavier 2, Bowling Green 1
Boxscore
Host Xavier University scored a goal off of a quick counterattack early in the second half, and that proved to be the difference as the Musketeers posted a 2-1 victory over the Bowling Green State University women's soccer team Sunday afternoon (Aug. 25). The non-conference match was held at the Xavier Soccer Complex.

Jackie Richards scored that goal for the home side, knocking home a rebound after a shot by Brooke Sroka had hit the post.

Gabrielle LoPresti scored the first goal of the match for the Musketeers (2-0-0), midway through the opening half, before freshman Kennedy White evened the score for the Falcons (0-1-1) less than a minute later.

White's goal, the first of her young career, came after a free kick by freshman Audrey Shea. Shea's diagonal ball was redirected on frame by the head of redshirt junior Nikki Cox. XU goalkeeper Olivia Jenkins got a glove on the ball, but the charging White was the first to arrive, banging a shot into the vacated net from close range.

Senior Kathleen Duwve made three saves for the Falcons. Duwve's save total included a diving stop of a penalty kick by XU's leading scorer, Samantha Dewey, in the first minute of the match.
 
Milwaukee 3, Northern Illinois 1
Boxscore
MILWAUKEE, Wis. – Sophomore Trudy Quidzinski (Green Bay, Wis./Notre Dame Academy) scored her third career goal as the Northern Illinois University women's soccer team fell to defending Horizon League champion Milwaukee, 3-1, on Sunday evening (Aug. 25) at Engelmann Stadium.  

Sophomore goalkeeper Julia Lentz (Bolingbrook, Ill./Bolingbrook) made three saves in goal for the Huskies. 

"There were definitely good moments that we can build off of and that we can carry with us into this week in practice," said NIU head coach Julie Colhoff. "Then there are also some glaring things that we have to clean up as well. Most of the goals that we gave up were similar, so we need to clean that up and then continue to execute our game plan." 

The Panthers opened the scoring in the fourth minute as Rafferty Kugler sent in a cross from the right side toward the back post at the edge of the six-yard box where Haley Johnson headed home to give the Panthers a 1-0 lead. 

Milwaukee (2-0) doubled its advantage in the 19th minute on a looping header from Mackenzie Schill. Johnson hit a cross from the left side toward the penalty spot where Schill was first to meet it and headed past Lentz to give the hosts a 2-0 lead. 

In the 39th minute, Lentz made an outstanding save as she was able to tip of shot from Taylor Hattori off the crossbar before it was cleared away by the NIU defense. 

Four minutes before halftime, Kugler found the back of the net for the Panthers, getting on the end of a low cross from Morgan Koerber to nod home a third goal for Milwaukee. 

NIU (0-1) made a bright start to the second half as the Huskies had a pair of chances inside the opening seven minutes, including a 48th minute effort from freshman Emma Cramblett (Enon, Ohio/Greenon) that forced a save from Milwaukee goalkeeper Allie Strottman. 

The second half was scoreless until the 79th minute when NIU earned a corner kick and Milwaukee was whistled for a foul from the set piece. Quidzinski stepped up and converted from the penalty spot to cut the Milwaukee lead to a pair.  

"Going into the game I wanted to see our grit and work rate," said Colhoff. "In the second half I thought we did a good job of that, everybody contributed, whether they were on the field or leading from the bench, so that was nice to see. There are still things we have to fine tune and gaps we have to close up, but the second half was a better showing for us."

NIU will return home on Friday, August 30, when the Huskies host Louisiana-Lafayette in the regular season home opener. Kickoff against the Ragin' Cajuns is scheduled for 7 p.m.  
 
Purdue 4, Toledo 0
Boxscore
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – In a Sunday afternoon match, the Toledo women's soccer team found itself on the wrong side of the scoreboard as the Rockets (0-2-0) fell 4-0 to Purdue (2-0-0) in West Lafayette, Ind.

It was a game of playing catchup for the Rockets, as Purdue got on the board in the 21st minute of the game and never let up. The Boilermakers added a second and third goal within 15 minutes as the Rockets' defense could not stop Teagan Jones and Ally Mussallem, who each tallied in the 34th minute. The Boilermakers would add another goal late in the first half, giving them a 4-0. The Rocket defense kicked up the pressure in the second half, keeping the Boilermakers scoreless and only allowing seven shots. But Toledo offense was not able to find the back of net
 
Wright State 1, Miami 0
Boxscore

DAYTON, Ohio – A possession clinic in the second half by the Miami soccer team was overshadowed by a late first half Wright State goal as MU dropped a 1-0 decision on Sunday.

Miami outshot Wright State by a 10-4 count in the second half while also having a 4-0 spread in corner kicks, but could not find the back of the net to drop to 0-2 on the season.

"As a coaching staff we were proud of the second half effort," head coach Courtney Sirmans said. "We were able to get the ball down and play. That created a lot more dangerous chances on goal for us. We have to be about to convert on those chances though.

"We came out pretty flat and played into their direct style of play in the first half. We need to do a better job as a group being ready to go from the whistle and not waste time setting the tone."

While possession was essentially split for the first 20 minutes and change, the Raiders were the ones challenging the net as they fired the first six shots with two reaching the net. Lauren Parker was equal to the task both times when tested as the contest remained scoreless past the midway point of the opening frame.

Miami had a couple early promising runs that got flagged offside. Olivia Winnett fired MU's first shot in the 29th minute, but Maddie Jewell made the stop to keep it scoreless. Later on in the frame it was Abby Casmere who threatened with a shot from just outside the 18 that Jewell also turned aside.

It appeared the teams would enter the half scoreless, but a foul from 25 yards out led to a free kick goal from Michelle Rings in the 43rd minute to hand the Raiders a 1-0 lead at halftime.

After getting outshot 11-2 in the opening frame, Miami put together some more sustained pressure in the second half in search of the tying goal. The Red & White had a 10-4 shot advantage in the second half and generally held possession in the attacking third for the final 45 minutes of play.

One of the top chances for MU came off the head of Kear Kerr in the 67th minute as a cross was redirected off her and appeared labeled for the top corner before Jewell got her hand on it. Miami continued to press on the attack, but was unable to find the tying goal as it suffered the shutout setback.

The Raiders outshot the RedHawks 15-12 overall while MU had a 6-2 advantage in corner kicks, including 4-0 in the second half. Parker and Izzie Vaccari split the duties in net with Parker stopping three of four shots in the first half and Vaccari stopping both shots she saw in the second.

Miami plays its first home contest of the year on Sunday when it hosts Cleveland States. Opening kick is at 1 p.m.