Sports
Eagles Score Late, Beat Ohio Soccer 2-1
By: Mike Bundt
Posted on:
No question about it, Ohio dominated second half play against Morehead State. But they fell asleep at the most crucial point of the game, and the Eagles escaped Chessa Field with a 2-1 win.
Jillian Birchmeier scored on a header in the 88th minute to break a 1-1 tie, and her goal dropped the Bobcats to 2-4.
Midway through the first half, MSU's Brittany Kiracofe scored the first goal of the game to put the Eagles ahead 1-0. Kiracofe was off target on an attempted cross but found the ball found the back of the net when Ohio goalie Mattie Liston failed to break it up.
Ohio midfielder Toye Famodu had a partial breakaway late in the first half but failed to score as Morehead State's back line was fast in retreat and broke her chance up before she had time to shoot.
The game entered halftime with the Eagles ahead 1-0 but with momentum starting to head into the Bobcats direction.
Early in the second half, Ohio used the previous half's momentum for good use as they tied the game up at 1-1 on a beautiful goal by Katie Kemen. Kemen's shot came from outside the box and headed into the left part of the net as it rose above Morehead St. goalkeeper Katie Blevins.
But as play opened up late in the second half, Ohio couldn't hold onto the tie score it had earned with 40 minutes of solid play. Kiracofe assisted on Birchmeier's goal, her first of the season, and sent Ohio to its second straight defeat.
Kiracofe was being defended one on one in the in the corner of Bobcats territory when she unleashed a great cross that found the head of Birchmeier and into the back of the net to give the Eagles the 2-1 win.
Ohio put pressure on the Eagle net in the last two minutes but failed to convert, as Eagles goaltender Blevens saved a nice shot on goal by Ohio defender Remi Famodu before time expired.
Morehead State outshot Ohio 19-10 for the game (10-4 in the first half), and Ohio's Mattie Liston made a number of great aerial saves to keep the game close, but Birchmeier's goal was perfectly placed, Liston had little chance.
Ohio's next match is Sunday, on the road, against #22 Ohio State in Columbus. The last time the Bobcats and Buckeyes played each other was September 13, 2007, when Ohio State won 2-1.