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KALAMAZOO, Mich. – Ohio soccer (8-7-5) will play for their first MAC Tournament title on Sunday, Nov. 2, after taking down Bowling Green in the semifinals on Thursday. The sixth-seeded Bobcats will face off with Kent State (12-6-2), the fourth seed in the tournament. The Flashes are coming off of a 2-1 win in the semifinals against the top seed and MAC regular season leaders Western Michigan.
Sunday's match will be Ohio's third appearance in the MAC Tournament Championship and first since 2002. The Bobcats lost in the previous two appearances; to Northern Illinois in 1998 and Miami in 2002. A win over Kent State will give Ohio their first MAC Championship in program history.
In the win over Bowling Green, the Bobcats battled back from a first half deficit. Behind the first career goal from sophomore Rayann Pruss (Perrysburg, Ohio) and a beautiful curling strike from sophomore Scout Murray (Chicago, Ill.), Ohio was able to take a lead just ten minutes into the second half. Stout defending helped secure the win to knock off the second-seeded Falcons. Entering the weekend, Bowling Green had won four of the last five conference tournaments.
Ohio's season has been a story of perseverance. After a nine game stretch where the Bobcats compiled a record of 2-6-1 and scored just five goals, the MAC Tournament seemed to be out of reach, yet the Bobcats' belief never wavered. Head coach Aaron Rodgers' team rolled with the punches, scored timely goals, and defended with supreme intensity. In Ohio's match versus Central Michigan earlier this season (Oct. 12) the Bobcats could not find the back of the net. Despite having eight shots on goal to the Chippewas one, Ohio trailed 1-0 as the 90 minute mark approached. A loss appeared to be on the horizon. Yet, with 36 seconds left, a pass from junior Quintin Tostevin (Toronto, Ontario, Canada) fell to senior Shae Robertson (Lexington, Ky.) in front of goal. The Bobcats leading scorer found the back of the net to tie the match. While a tie at home to Central Michigan was not the goal, the point would prove to be critical. Without it, Ohio would have had 14 points on the season resulting in Buffalo advancing to the MAC Tournament, not the Bobcats.
Since Ohio's tie with Central Michigan, the Bobcats have elevated their game. A record of 4-1-1, including the current four game winning streak, has propelled the team to their first MAC Championship game in more than 20 years. With a chance to bring hardware back to Athens, the Bobcats belief is boiling over.
SERIES HISTORY
Ohio and Kent State have met 33 times with a record of 14-17-2 in the Flashes favor. In the last ten matches between the two sides, Kent State has won six times to the Bobcats two, with two ties.
The Bobcats and Flashes have met five times in the postseason. Ohio holds the advantage in postseason matches winning three of the matches. The teams last played each other in the MAC Tournament in 2021 with Kent State winning by a score of 3-2 to advance to the championship.
LAST MATCHUP
The Flashes traveled to Athens in the opening game of MAC play, taking down the Bobcats by a score of 1-0. Ohio struggled to get things going offensively, recording a single shot on goal. Kent State had five shots on target, including Alisa Arthur's game-winning strike that found the top right corner.
It was a physical affair in Athens and it will likely be again on Sunday with the title on the line. Sophomore goalkeeper Celeste Sloma (Columbus, Ohio) made four saves in the loss.
SCOUTING KENT STATE
Kent State has compiled a record of 12-6-2 throughout the regular season including a 7-4 record in conference play. The Flashes will be looking for their first conference title since 2016 on Sunday.
Over the 20 games played this season, Kent State has scored 31 goals while allowing 24. Their goal margin of 0.35 per game ranks second in the conference and tallied four clean sheets.
Alisa Arthur and Kelsey Salopek are the main players to watch for the Flashes. Arthur and Salopek were each named to the All-MAC First Team for their stellar performances throughout the year. Arthur, a junior midfielder, had an impressive season with ten goals and five assists. She has scored in four consecutive matches heading into Sunday's title bout.
Salopek, a sophomore defender, has started every game for the Flashes in the right back position. Tied for the team lead in goals a year ago, Salopek scored two during the 2023 season including an 88th minute game winner over Akron.
Also earning MAC Honors were freshmen Alanna Raimondo and Josie Morgan. The two were named to the All-MAC Freshman team alongside Ohio freshman Jaimason Brooker (Powell, Ohio). Raimondo tallied three goals and an assist on the year. Morgan notched five goals and two assists for the Flashes. She picked up an assist in Kent State's semifinal win over Western Michigan.
Junior midfielder Siena Stambolich is another player to watch for Kent State. The Canadian scored four goals and added four assists on the year. She scored in Kent's quarterfinal win over Northern Illinois. Senior forward Callie Cunningham is another Flash to keep your eye on. Her goal against Western Michigan proved to be the game-winner.
Sarah Melén will be in goal for Kent State on Sunday. The graduate student has accumulated nearly 6,000 minutes played in her collegiate career. She is second in the conference this season with 94 saves.
SCOUTING OHIO
The Bobcats enter the MAC Championship with an overall record of 8-7-5. Ohio has battled through a lot of adversity en route to the title game, but still they found a way. The Bobcats have scored 22 goals while giving up 18 on the season.
Ohio is led up front by seniors Izzi Boyd (Gibsonia, Pa.), Shae Robertson Robertson, and a sophomore, Scout Murray. Murray's goal against Bowling Green in the semifinals proved to be the game-winner and was number seven in SportsCenter's top ten plays on Friday (Nov. 3). Robertson, an All-MAC Second Team selection, is the team leader with eight goals, while Boyd added five of her own.
Seniors Carsyn Prigge (Lexington, Ky.), Aubrey Rea (Akron, Ohio), and sophomore Eve Berish (Hudson, Ohio) hold it down for Ohio in the midfield. The trio have proven to be the driving force of Rodgers' team with excellent defensive support and transitions to create offensive opportunities. Freshman Jaimason Brooker is also one to watch in the midfield. An All-MAC Freshman team selection, Brooker has shown great versatility in her attacking play.
Sophomore wingback Rayann Pruss scored the first goal of her collegiate career against Bowling Green. Less than a minute into the second half, she received a cross from fellow wingback and sophomore Ella Deevers (Streetsboro, Ohio). Pruss was able to find the back of the net to tie the game and provide Ohio with immense confidence for the rest of the half. Sophomore Maia Kaufman (Westerville, Ohio) and freshman Rylee Mensel (Westerville, Ohio) also are in the wingback rotation.
Ohio's back line consists of graduate student Ella Bianco (Dayton, Ohio), junior Quintin Tostevin, and sophomore Maia Soulis (Sylvania, Ohio). The trio has performed exceedingly well, only allowing one goal in the previous four games. Tostevin was named to the All-MAC Second Team alongside Robertson and Sloma.
Goalkeeper Celeste Sloma has been a revelation for Ohio throughout the year. A Second Team All-MAC Selection, Sloma has made critical saves for Ohio all season long. With a goals against average of 0.90, a save percentage of 81.8%, and 81 saves on the season, she is towards the top of every statistical category in the MAC.
MAC TOURNAMENT NOTES
Sunday's match will be the second time a four seed has faced a number six seed in the MAC Championship. The last time was 2013, when No. 4 Western Michigan defeated No. 6 Ball State 1-0.
The MAC Championship will kick off at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 5. The game will be played at the WMU Soccer Complex in Kalamazoo, Mich. Ohio will have its eyes set on the first MAC Championship in program history.
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