Women's Soccer

Three Soccer Squads Extend Win Streaks on Sunday

Sunday’s Women’s Soccer Results
Miami 1, Toledo 0
UMass 2, Central Michigan 0
Kent State 2, Akron 1
Western Michigan 2, Ball State 0
Buffalo 5, Northern Illinois 0
Eastern Michigan 1, Bowling Green 1
Stories Courtesy of MAC Athletic Communications Departments

Miami 1, Toledo 0
Box Score
OXFORD, Ohio— The Miami University soccer team posted a 1-0 win against the University of Toledo during a Sunday home match. The RedHawks move to 7-5-0 (4-2-0 MAC) with the result in their only game of the week. Toledo is now 3-4-5 (0-3-3 MAC).

HOW IT HAPPENED
  • Miami scored the only goal of the match in the 23rd minute. A pass from Kayla Perfect on the right side of the box set up Katie O'Malley, who buried it into the bottom right corner.
  • In the 80th minute, Dominique Popa made a full-extension save, denying Toledo's best opportunity and keeping the RedHawks on top.
NOTES
  • O'Malley scored her third goal of the season and first of conference play.
  • Popa recorded her sixth shutout of the season and ranks in the top 15 in the country in that category.
  • The RedHawks have scored first in every game they have tallied a goal this season.
  • Miami has won each of its last three contests by 1-0 margins.
UMass 2, Central Michigan 0
Box Score
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – University of Massachusetts women's soccer shut out Mid-American Conference rival Central Michigan, 2-0, at the CMU Soccer Complex on Sunday afternoon.

The Minutewomen improve to 4-5-2 overall, including 2-3 in the MAC, while the Chippewas move to 0-10-2 on the year and 0-4-2 in conference action.  

Macy Graves and Emma Burke scored the two goals for Massachusetts, as it marked Graves' first of the season and Burke's first collegiate goal.

UMass went out to a quick 1-0 start at the 9:21 mark. As the ball rolled out to Morgan Bellamy, Bellamy sent it into the box. Caroline Dickson tapped the ball out towards Graves at the top of the box, with Graves kicking it into to traffic and past the goalkeeper for her first goal of the season.

Late in the second half, Massachusetts extended its lead to 2-0 in the 81st minute. A free kick sent towards the front of the net from Amelia Bloom started to settle as Burke ran towards the front of the net, chipping the ball into the lower corner of the net for her first career goal.

Central Michigan outshot Massachusetts, 15-8, with the Chippewas edging out the Minutewomen, 6-4, in shots on goal. UMass had the advantage in corner kicks, taking eight to Central Michigan's four.    

Eight Minutewomen registered a shot on the day, while Kayla Nohasiarisoa, Graves, Burke and  Bloom placed their shots on goal. Dickson and Bloom recorded an assist each on the afternoon.

Redshirt freshman goalkeeper Leah Nisenfeld posted her fourth shutout of the season after stopping six of 15 shots faced through 90 minutes of action.  

Kent State 2, Akron 1
Box Score
Akron, Ohio-  The Kent State soccer team took the short trip to visit rival Akron on Sunday afternoon, and came away with three points in conference play as they took down the Zips by a score of 2-1.

The Golden Flashes were the first to get on the scoreboard as freshman forward Jules Dolinski scored her first goal of the season. She raced past the Zips defense on the left side of the field to strike the ball into the back of the net from 12 yards out. That would be the only goal of the first half as KSU led 1-0 heading into the break.

After a strong defensive effort from both sides for the majority of the second half, the Blue and Gold struck again in the 81st-minute. This time it was sophomore midfielder Ava Lukyan who also scored her first goal of the season; as she cruised by the left side of the Akron defense and flipped the ball over the goalie's head into the back of the net to give her team a two-goal lead. She was assisted by senior defender Kelsey Salopek and junior Allison Burkey, who recorded her first point of the season.

Akron, however, didn't go away quietly, as they stormed down the field and got on the board less than three minutes later on a goal from Jordanne Oberhaus. She was assisted by Emma King and Rachel Wenzel. KSU held strong on the defensive end for the remaining six minutes as the Blue and Gold came away with the 2-1 win.

The Flashes once again led the game in shooting with a tally of 11-5, including four shots-on-goal compared to Akron's two. Kent State also led in corner kicks by a wide margin; 7-1.

Western Michigan 2, Ball State 0
Box Score
MUNCIE, Ind. – The Western Michigan women's soccer team improved to 9-2-1 overall and 5-0-1 in MAC play with a 2-0 victory over Ball State on Sunday afternoon.  

Ava Beckett and Olivia Brunink scored in the match, while Drew Martin and Kailah Newcomb provided assists. Reagan Sulaver picked up her fifth shutout and ninth win of the season in net. 

FIRST HALF
The Broncos controlled much of the first half, getting the first three shots of the game. Martin had the best chance, firing a shot on frame in the 10th minute. BSU was there to make the stop. 

During the middle portion of the first half, the Cardinals found a couple of offensive looks. However, the WMU defense was there to stop the attack. Eventually, the Broncos would break through, with Martin making a nice pass into the box. Beckett buried the ball into the back of the net to push the Brown and Gold in front 1-0 in the 35th minute. The goal was her first of the season. 

Western Michigan would clamp down defensively the rest of the half and carry a one-goal lead into the final 45 minutes of play. 

SECOND HALF
Not even a minute into the second half, Beckett was able to find a chance on net. The Cardinals were there to make the save, but WMU kept up the pressure. Abby Werthman had a shot blocked in the 51st minute, while Avery Peters just missed in the 60th minute. 

A couple of minutes later, Peters had yet another chance. Ball State was again able to make the stop. BSU got a prime opportunity in the 73rd minute, earning a penalty kick. The Cardinals missed the shot and the score remained 1-0 in favor of the visitors. 

A little bit later, Newcomb delivered a nice ball to Brunink, who fired a shot over the head of BSU's keeper to make it 2-0 Broncos in the 76th minute. It was Brunink's first career goal and Newcomb's first career assist.

WMU kept its foot on the gas, with Madi Canada firing a shot on net in the 82nd minute. Her chance was pushed away from trouble by the Cardinals. Down the stretch, Western Michigan would shut down the Ball State offense to pick up the 2-0 victory.

Buffalo 5, Northern Illinois 0
Box Score
DEKALB, IL – The University at Buffalo women's soccer team (9-2-1, 5-1 MAC) put forth a dominant second-half effort as the offense exploded for five goals in a 5-0 win at Northern Illinois on Sunday.

Senior forward Marissa Foster had a historic day as she recorded a hat trick in the win, becoming the first Bull to accomplish that feat since Jenny Dannecker in 2004. The five total goals were the most scored by the Bulls since a 6-2 win over Niagara in 2021 and the most in a league win since a 5-0 win over Miami (OH) in the Covid-shortened 2020 season.

With the game scoreless at the half, Buffalo came out aggressive out of the locker room and they capitalized off the pressure in the 50th minute as Lexie Thompson booted a big ball up field that Jasmine Guerber was able to settle and drill a shot on net that was saved by Lauren Pearson, but Sarah Woods was there for the rebound goal to give the Bulls a 1-0 lead.

The Bulls added to their lead five minutes later as Maya Galko took a corner and played a perfect ball to the far side of the box and Eva Blatz was in the right place at the right time to knock it into the bottom left corner of the net for her first career goal to put UB up 2-0.

Buffalo added to their lead in the 71st minute Ellie Simmons found Jessie Bernabe who slid a ball through to Foster who drilled a shot into the back of the net to give the Bulls a 3-0 lead.

Later, off an NIU turnover, Galko played a ball up ahead to Foster who outran her defender and drilled a shot back across the box into the bottom left corner of the net to make it 4-0 Bulls.

Foster wasn't done yet though, as the Bulls drew a foul in the box, and Foster stepped up and converted the ensuing penalty kick goal, drilling a shot past Pearson who dove the wrong way, to make it a five-spot for UB.

The Bulls outshot the Huskies 13-11, including a 9-4 advantage in shots on goal while also earning six corner kick opportunities. Thompson made three saves on the afternoon.