Miami RedHawks Advance to MAC Championship Game
Championship Central
Championship Bracket
VIDEO: Miami Head Coach Bobby Kramig
VIDEO: Miami Junior Shannon Stearns
KALAMAZOO, Mich. -- Another penalty kick, another win.
Shannon Stearns scored on a penalty kick in the 58th minute and the Miami soccer team held Akron to just two shot attempts as it notched a 1-0 shutout win in the Mid-American Conference Tournament semifinals on Friday afternoon.
The fifth-seeded RedHawks (11-7-2) are moving onto their seventh MAC Tournament final appearance in program history after recording their second shutout of the conference tournament.
“This was a well-played game by both teams,” head coach Bobby Kramig said. “All credit to Akron, they were organized and disciplined and made it hard on us today. Our kids hung in with it and we figured things out at halftime. We played a little more direct and it worked for us. Shannon’s penalty was a fair call and she stepped up and hit her spot.”
Possession was a bit back and forth over the first 15 minutes of play, though Miami did a bit more with it as it held a 5-1 edge in shots. The RedHawks’ first two attempts were probably the most dangerous as Katie Alexander got a head on a deep free kick, but Annabelle Hegeman scooped it up easily. Shannon Stearns also got a step on the UA defense coming into the box in the 10th minute, but her attempt soared high and wide.
Akron started to control the ball more in the attacking third for a 10 minute stretch in the middle of the half, but Miami’s tenacious defense was not allowing quality looks from in close. After getting some fresh legs in off the bench, the RedHawks reasserted themselves and started creating at the other end. Courtney Evans was particularly involved as Jenna Weiner set her up with a good cross in traffic, but her header went wide of the frame. In the 35th minute, Evans launched a high arcing shot from 20 yards out that eluded Hegeman, but went square off the crossbar and stayed out. While the Red and White eventually outshot the Zips 9-1 in the first 45 minutes of play, the teams ended the half how they started it, locked in a scoreless tie.
The RedHawks got a glorious opportunity on a set piece when a Zips’ hand ball set them up with a free kick just outside the box, but their feed went right into the defensive wall and UA recovered to clear. Shortly after, Akron got a nice chance in transition when Rachel Baughman got free on a run down the right side. Her shot from 23 yards away got by Vic Maniaci, but slid just wide of the far post to keep it scoreless.
A chance presented itself in the 58th minute as Kat Zalar was taken down inside the 18-yard box and the foul was called for a penalty kick. The Red and White sent Stearns to the mark for the attempt and she blasted her attempt by Hegeman for her first goal of the season to put them up 1-0. That goal energized Miami as Stearns had two more good chances after her strike. Stearns blasted a shot from 25 yards out after a quick turn that Hegeman had to leap and stop, causing a corner kick. On the ensuing set piece, Stearns was set up from the right side for a hard shot that went just over the frame.
Miami was not content to sit on its lead as it still controlled possession after going in front and did not allow Akron to take another shot the rest of the afternoon.
The RedHawks outshot the Zips 18-2 overall in posting their 11th shutout. Maniaci stopped the only shot she faced for her 10th solo shutout of the season.
Miami will try for its fifth MAC Tournament title against either host Western Michigan or Buffalo on Sunday at 1 p.m.
Courtesy of Miami Sports Information Department
