Oct. 17, 2010
Final Stats
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - Ohio's defense picked up its fifth shutout of the season, but regulation and two overtimes went by without a score as the `Cats battled Bowling Green to a 0-0 deadlock on the road Sunday.
Ohio (5-6-4, 2-3-3 MAC) outshot the Falcons (4-9-4, 2-3-3 MAC) 12-6 on the day, including a 3-2 edge in shots on goal and a 4-3 advantage in corner kicks. Sara Seitz (Englewood, Ohio) led the `Cats with a game-high four shots, including two on goal. Kelsey Pichel (Rochester Hills, Mich.) added three shots, while Jackie Hanson (LaGrange, Ill.) and Rachael Philpot (Cincinnati, Ohio) each collected two. Ohio's back line of Sarah Brown (North Royalton, Ohio), Lauren Burke (Medina, Ohio), Paige Howard (Mentor, Ohio) and Kim Nordtveit (Newtown, Pa.) turned in a solid effort, especially in the second half where it held BGSU to just one shot in the period. Mattie Liston (Lakewood, Ohio) collected two saves on the day while tallying her fifth shutout of the year.
"The defense was solid," Ohio coach Stacy Strauss said. "They closed down space quickly and covered for each other well. Our midfield had a great work rate too. Rachael Philpot was especially dangerous in the second half. We need to play like that more at the beginning of the first half and throughout."
After a back-and-forth first few minutes of play to start the game, the Falcons threatened in the 12th and 13th minutes with a pair of shots, but Ohio's defense kept them off the board. Neither side was able to mount any really serious threat over the next several minutes. The `Cats had an opportunity in the 29th minute, but a Toye Famodu (Bloomington, Minn.) header missed high.
Seitz nearly got the Green and White on the board in the 44th minute, but the BGSU keeper was able to get in front of her attempt to keep the score at zero. The first half ended with Ohio holding a slight 4-3 edge in shots.
Following an early Falcon shot to start the second half, the `Cats took control of the possession over the next few minutes with a pair of shots from Pichel and another offering from Seitz that was collected by BGSU's keeper. Hanson had a chance of her own to put Ohio up in the 73rd minute, but another save from the Falcon keeper kept the score even.
BGSU threatened in the 79th minute by picking up a corner, but the `Cats' defense turned the Falcons away to keep the score intact. Neither side was able to get much else as regulation ended with Ohio holding a 9-4 edge in shots.
The defenses controlled the first overtime as neither side was able to even muster a shot. That wouldn't last long as the action picked up soon after the second overtime started. BGSU looked poised to end things in the first three minutes with a pair of shots and a corner, but a defensive stand from Ohio kept the Falcons off the board.
The `Cats had an opportunity of their own in the final minute of play, picking up a pair of corner opportunities, but they were unable to get anything and the game came to a close with the scoreless tie.
Ohio will be back in action next Friday when it heads to Buffalo to continue MAC East play against the Bulls. Action is set to get under way at 5:30 p.m.
