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BOWLING GREEN, Ohio -- A late penalty kick helped Kent State (13-4-3, 7-1-3) defeat Ohio (11-5-3, 7-1-3) by a score of 3-2 in the MAC Tournament semifinals on Thursday night (Nov. 4). The Bobcats were led offensively with goals by Madison Clayton and Regan Berg.

Ohio got off to a quick start, scoring in the third minute. Clayton took advantage of a goalkeeper miscue in the six-yard box and tapped in the first goal of the contest. It was the graduate transfer's third goal of the 2021 campaign. Abby Townsend, coming off a All-MAC Second Team selection earlier in the day, was credited with the assist off of the cross. Ohio's offense settled in for a majority of the rest of the first half, holding possession 53% of the time in the first 45 minutes. Kent State was able to equalize as the half drew to a close however, as a goal in the 44th minute sent the two teams into the intermission with the score knotted at 1-1.

The Golden Flashes were the team to get off to a quick start in the second half, as a goal in the 54th minute gave Kent State a 2-1 advantage. The Bobcats responded just like they had all season though, leveling the score on Berg's goal less than 15 minutes later in the 68th minute. The goal was set up by Clayton, who placed the ball in the right spot for Berg to head it past the Kent State goalkeeper. The assist was Clayton's fifth on the year.

The action picked up even more in the 73rd minute, when Kent State's goalkeeper picked up a straight red card with a hard challenge outside of the box against Berg as the Bobcat forward got past the Golden Flashes defense and seemingly en route to scoring the go-ahead goal. Ohio looked to seize the opportunity with Kent State playing a man down, but was unable to find the net for a third, and winning goal. That winning score came courtesy of a Kent State penalty kick in the 86th minute, giving the Golden Flashes a 3-2 lead. With just a couple minutes remaining, the Bobcats' offense created scoring opportunities but were unable to equalize and send the game into overtime. 

Ohio's season draws to a close with the loss. In a year that Ohio was predicted to finish eighth in the standings, MAC Coach of the Year Aaron Rodgers led the Bobcats to a second place finish, as the team had four players selected to the All-MAC First and Second Teams, and won the most conference games since 2006. 

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