Athens, Ohio – The Ohio soccer team (2-3-1) returns to Athens on Thursday, Sept. 4^, to host Northern Kentucky (3-0-3), ending the match in a 1-1 draw.
Overall, Ohio outshot Northern Kentucky 16-2, with eight shots on goal compared to NKU's two. Ohio led the game with five corners to Northern Kentucky's three; both teams were unsuccessful on those attempts.

Individually, sophomore Iro Fakinou (Athens, Greece) scored the lone goal for the Bobcats and had four shots, with three shots on goal.  Junior Anna Burchett (Prestonburg, Ky.) had five shots, with two shots being on goal. Senior Rayann Pruss (Perrysburg, Ohio) registered three shots, with two shots on goal, and junior Kate Robinson (Madison Heights, Mich.) had two shots with one shot on goal. Senior Scout Murray (Chicago, Ill.) and junior Jaimason Brooker (Powell, Ohio) also added one shot for the Bobcats.

Senior Celeste Sloma (Columbus, Ohio) got the start in net, playing all 90 minutes, allowing one goal on 8 shots, making 1 save.

Both teams opened the game in a defensive battle, with the first shot of the game coming from Murray in the 10^th minute. Burchett added two shots in the 12^th and 13^th minutes but was unable to find the back of the net. Northern Kentucky responded with a shot of its own that was blocked in the 15^th minute and then redirected to the back of the net in the 16^th minute, putting the Norse up 1-0 early in the half.

NKU kept the pressure on the Bobcats throughout the remainder of the half, registering two more shots, with one that forced Sloma to make a save. Ohio added three more shots in the half, including a shot by Burchett that forced the Norse keeper to make the save.

Ohio finished the half with six shots to Northern Kentucky's four, with both teams having two shots on goal.

Robinson looked to even the score in the 52^nd minute but was denied by the Northern Kentucky keeper. Brooker and Burchett kept applying pressure to the Northern Kentucky defense with two more shot attempts, but were ultimately unsuccessful.  

In the 69^th minute, the Bobcats found the back of the net off the foot of Fakinou, who placed the equalizer into the upper right corner, tying the game at one. Fakinou looked to score again in the 72^nd minute, but the Northern Kentucky keeper made the diving save.

NKU looked to respond in the 78th minute, but both shots were off target.

Ohio kept pressure on the Norse defense, firing five shots in the last 10 minutes of play, including a shot from Fakinou that was saved at the buzzer. Even with the last-minute attempts, the Bobcats were unable to find the back of the net, ultimately ending the match in a 1-1 draw.

Up next, the Bobcats head to Bloomington, Ind., on Sunday, Sept. 7 to take on Indiana. First touch is set for 1 p.m. ET on BTN+.

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