Thursday’s Women’s Soccer Results
Eastern Michigan 1, Ball State 0
Akron 1, Toledo 0
Western Michigan 7, Kent State 1
UMass 2, Bowling Green 2
Central Michigan 2, Ohio 2
Miami 0, Buffalo 0
Stories Courtesy of MAC Athletic Communications Departments
Eastern Michigan 1, Ball State 0
Box Score
MUNCIE, Ind. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University soccer team defeated Ball State University, 1-0, at Briner Sports Complex Thursday, Oct. 1, as Annalyse Bauer scored the first goal of her career to lift EMU to its fifth consecutive shutout.
Eastern held Ball State to just two shots — none on goal — to extend a program-record clean sheet streak and improve to 3-0-1 in MAC play, the program's best conference start since the 2013 MAC Championship season.
EMU is tied with UMass at the top of the conference standings.
How It Happened
Bauer (Latrobe, Pa./Greater Latrobe) broke the deadlock in the 43rd minute, finishing off an assist from Rosalie Takacsy (Orchard Park, N.Y./Orchard Park) to give Eastern a 1-0 lead it would not relinquish. The goal was the first of Bauer's career at Eastern Michigan.
The Eagles carried an 8-2 advantage in shots into the final whistle, with Bauer leading the team with two shots and two shots on goal in 54 minutes of action. Kaylee Synk (North Olmsted, Ohio/Saint Joseph Academy) and Olivia Sipsock (Medina, Ohio/Medina) each added two shots of their own, keeping pressure on Ball State goalkeeper Kate Pallante throughout.
Pallante made four saves to keep the Cardinals within striking distance, including a stop on Synk in the 52nd minute and a top-right save on Sipsock in the 87th minute. Ella Holland (Dunwoody, Ga./Dunwoody/Samford), meanwhile, was not called upon to make a single save — Ball State did not register a shot on goal — as the EMU defense controlled the match from start to finish.
Akron 1, Toledo 0
Box Score
TOLEDO, Ohio —Taylor Allen might have been playing in the Glass City, but she was made of steel.
With time winding down in the 86th minute of a scoreless match at Toledo, teammate Ashley Preston fired a shot in from the top of the box that was tapped out of the goal after a great leap from the Rockets' keeper. As the ball dribbled back into the field of play, Allen, with no one else around, calmly gathered it and drilled it into the lower left corner for the lone score of the match and the ultimate game winner for the Akron women's soccer team.
It marked only the second road victory over the Rockets in program history and already the most wins in a single season since 2019. Additionally, it marked the first time the Zips have shutout MAC opponents in back-to-back matches since 2021 (Akron blanked Ohio, 1-0, on Sunday).
Akron managed five shots compared to Toledo's four in the scoreless first half. Rachel Wenzel had an attempt on the bottom left corner seven minutes into the match but was saved — the lone shot on goal for the Zips in the period.
Wenzel had another chance in the 55th minute that was again saved. Kaitlyn Rogowski recorded another shot on goal in the 68th minute before Allen cashed in nearly 20 minutes later.
Sara Bower amassed four saves in net and made two key stops in the 79th and 82nd minutes, respectively.
For the match, the Zips outshot the Rockets, 13-8, while only three corner kicks were attempted in the entire match.
Western Michigan 7, Kent State 1
Box Score
KALAMAZOO, Mich – It was a historic night for the Broncos in Kent, Ohio. The Broncos scored seven goals, marking the most in a single game for WMU since 2001.
The win pushes the Broncos to a 3-0-1 record in conference play, and a 5-2-4 record overall.
FIRST HALF
Western Michigan found themselves in an early hole after video review in the third minute granted Kent State a penalty kick, in which they converted.
The Broncos responded quickly. Just four minutes later, Gracie Lynn fired a shot from 25 yards out and found the net to tie the match up. Reese Lynn and June Mullen picked up the assist on the goal, marking Gracie Lynn's' second goal in as many games.
WMU continued to apply pressure, controlling possession throughout the half. In the 24th minute the Broncos would break the tie as Tessa Fagerson delivered a corner kick to June Mullen, who floated a head kick into the back of the net to give the Broncos a 2-1 lead.
Just before halftime, Camryn Huhn would use her speed to get by a Flashes defender before she found Irelyn Sheldon for another Bronco goal.
The Brown and Gold entered halftime holding a 3-1 advantage.
SECOND HALF
After an energetic first half, the Broncos picked up where they left off as Reagan Sulaver made a leaping save before recovering for another save off the rebound. In the 50th minute of play, Meredith Vance located Tessa Fagerson in the attacking third where Fagerson would score another Bronco goal on the low-right side of the net.
With a 4-1 lead, the Broncos would not take their foot off the gas pedal just yet. Just 10 seconds after Fagerson found the net, Meredith Vance and Reese Lynn would once again set up a Bronco goal. Kaiya Stewart also found the low-right side of the net for her 4th goal of the year, giving the Brown and Gold a 5-1 advantage.
Goals 4 and 5 were scored 10 seconds apart from each other, marking the shortest amount of time between Bronco goals since Mary Gignac scored two in 39 seconds against Iona on Sept. 9, 2001 and marking a new program record.
Broncos were not done just yet, as Olivia Smith would receive a penalty kick opportunity in which she buried. The goal put the Broncos up 6-1, the most points the program has recorded in a single since their match against Miami (Ohio) on Sept. 22, 2024.
With 5 minutes left in the game, the Broncos would make history. Arianna Rose scored a goal of her own making it 7-1 Broncos. The seven goals mark the most Bronco goals scored in a single game since a Sept. 9, 2001 match up against Iona.
After an energetic 90 minutes, the Brown and Gold take home a 7-1 victory.
