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KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The sixth-seeded Ohio soccer team (8-7-5) knocked off the second-seeded Bowling Green Falcons in semifinals of the Mid-American Conference tournament on Thursday (Nov. 2).
With the win, the Bobcats advance to the tournament championship on Sunday (Nov. 5) with a chance to win their first MAC Tournament title in program history.
The game kicked off in Kalamazoo on a brisk and windy morning. Sophomore Celeste Sloma (Columbus, Ohio) was tested early, making a save on a one-on-one chance to deny the Falcons an early lead.
Two set pieces presented the first offensive opportunities for Ohio. A corner from sophomore Eve Berish (Hudson, Ohio) and a free-kick from graduate student Ella Bianco (Dayton, Ohio) created difficulties for the Falcon defense but the Bobcats could not capitalize.
Bowling Green took the lead with just eight minutes remaining in the first half. A back-heeled pass found a Falcon forward in front of the net and her finish was enough to get through Sloma.
As the half came to a close, junior defender Quintin Tostevin (Toronto, Ontario, Canada) drove the ball forward. As space opened up, the Canadian fired the ball towards the goal just missing over the bar, allowing the Falcons to preserve their 1-0 lead going into the half.
Ohio and Bowling Green both created opportunities on the offensive end. The Falcons had nine shots, five on target, and three corner kicks in addition to their goal advantage. Ohio recorded three shots and two corners, but were unable to find the target. Sloma made four saves in the opening half.
Less than a minute into the second half, the Bobcats found the equalizer. A string of nice passes led to a cross from sophomore and Bowling Green transfer Ella Deevers (Streetsboro, Ohio) into the box. The cross fell to sophomore Rayann Pruss (Perrysburg, Ohio) who's header trickled across the line for the first goal of her collegiate career. With nearly a full half to play, the score was even at 1-1.
The Bobcats kept their foot on the gas. Another chance from Pruss was denied by the Falcon keeper but Ohio would break through once again just a moment later. A ricochet fell to sophomore Scout Murray (Chicago, Ill.) at the top of the box. She found a window of space and wrapped a right-footed shot into the top right corner, out of reach for Bowling Green's goalkeeper. The goal, Murray's fourth of the year, gave the Bobcats their first lead of the game.
The Falcons looked for an equalizing goal for the rest of the second half, but were unable to create any clear cut opportunities. As the clock ticked on, the Bobcat defense grew stronger. The back line of Bianco, Tostevin, and sophomore Maia Soulis (Sylvania, Ohio) stood tall in front of Sloma, parrying any crosses away.
Murray's goal proved to be the difference for Ohio as the final whistle blew with a 2-1 score in the Bobcats favor. Head coach Aaron Rodgers' team will advance to the MAC Tournament Championship match for the third time and first since 2002.
Ohio capitalized on a strong second half performance. The Bobcats finished the game with 11 shots, five on target, and five corner kicks. Sloma made five saves in the win. On the other end, Bowling Green had 14 shots, six shots on goal, and nine corner kicks.
Up Next:
Ohio will play on Sunday (Nov. 5) with a chance to take home their first conference tournament title. The game will kick off at 1:00 p.m. at the WMU Soccer Complex in Kalamazoo. The Bobcats will face off with the winner of No. 1 Western Michigan and No. 4 Kent State. The Broncos and Flashes will face off later this afternoon (Nov. 2) at 2:00 p.m.
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