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ATHENS, Ohio -- The Ohio soccer team (5-1-0) dropped its first game of the season on Friday (Sept. 13) in heartbreaking fashion, falling to Robert Morris (2-3-1), 1-0, in double overtime. 

"We knew we were creating a lot of chances," head coach Aaron Rodgers said. "We figured that we would be able to keep creating them as we did in the first extra time period. We were creating chances, they just didn't go in. Robert Morris did a great job and executed their game plan perfectly. We were a little unsure of what we wanted to do. We knew what we were trying to do, but we had trouble executing that. We had 27 shots, but they had one goal and they made two, three or four really good saves. Game-saving saves." 

The Bobcats had the first solid attempts of the game in the opening minute, with freshman Heather McGuire (Hamilton, Ohio) just missing high. A minute later, McGuire recorded her second attempt of the game, this one missing just wide of the goal. 

After about 15 minutes of little action, Robert Morris recorded their first shot of the game in the 18th minute, however the Bobcats responded with back-to-back attempts from senior Courtney Daugerdas (Libertyville, Ill.) and sophomore Abby Townsend (Powell, Ohio) in the 19th minute. 

Ohio continued to dominate the offense with freshman Olivia Page (Springboro, Ohio) recording an attempt in the 26th minute, on a ball that would go high. Abby Townsend followed that up moments later with a ball in the 31st minute that forced the RMU keeper to make a save. 

Ohio would close out the first half in control, with senior Victoria Breeden (Hudson, Ohio), sophomore Taylor Dickerson (Cincinnati,Ohio) and back-to-back attempts from sophomore Lindsey Townsend (New Albany, Ohio), one of which forced the RMU keeper to make another save, keeping the game scoreless going into the half. 

At the half, Ohio outshot Robert Morris, 11-1 and had six corner kicks compared to RMU's two. 

Robert Morris recorded the first attempt in the second half, a ball that would go wide of the net in the 49th minute. Abby Townsend came back and fired a shot at the net in the 60th minute, forcing the RMU keeper to make another save. After another shot by junior Jenni Santacaterina (Geneva, Ill) was saved by the RMU keeper, freshman Tristan Whalen (LaGrange, Ky.) and junior Sarina Dirrig (Powell, Ohio) both recorded attempts, however the RMU keeper would make another save, keeping the game at 0-0. 

Ohio and RMU would trade a number of attempts over the remaining 20 minutes of the game. With 30 seconds left, junior Paige Knorr (Cincinnati, Ohio) appeared to score, however, the play would be called offsides, sending the game to overtime with it tied at 0-0.  

Ohio would control the first overtime, with a shot by sophomore Morgan Collica (Aurora, Ohio) getting the period going in the 91st minute. Senior Sydney Leckie (Medina, Ohio) fired off three-straight shots on goal, all of which would be saved by the RMU keeper, sending the game into the second overtime with the game tied at 0-0. 

The second overtime saw Ohio control early, with attempts from senior Alivia Milesky (Plain City, Ohio) and freshman Maddie Young (Cincinnati, Ohio), however, RMU would score in the 106th minute on a goal from Kayla Veloso-Lime, giving RMU the 1-0 victory. 

Overall, the Bobcats outshot RMU, 27-5, with 12 corner kicks compared to RMU's 4. 

Individually, Abby Townsend recorded five shots with four on goal, McGuire recorded three shots, while Leckie had three shots with three on goal. In total, 16 different Bobcats recorded shots for Ohio. 

In net, junior Sydney Malham (Nashville, Tenn.) allowed one goal and made one save in 106 minutes. 

Up next, the Bobcats head to Columbus, Ohio to take on Ohio State on Sunday, Sept. 15. First touch is set for 6 p.m. and can be seen on BTN+. 

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