Sports
Ohio Soccer Drops Opener In Extra Time
By: Kellen Becoats
Posted on:
Despite Ohio scoring two quick goals to take the game into overtime, Butler scored the golden goal in the 104th minute to hand the Ohio soccer team a 3-2 loss in the opening game of the regular season on Friday, Aug. 22 in West Lafayette, Ind.
Ohio gave the Bulldogs a corner kick in extra time, and Stephanie Kaylor, who already had one assist on the day, came to the flag to take it. The Bobcats had trouble winning balls in the air all game, and Kaylor’s delivery exemplified that problem. Kelly Mahoney buried the cross from point blank range to end the game in Butler’s favor.
Freshman forward Allie Curry enjoyed an excellent start to her first season for the Bobcats after she tucked the ball just inside the left post from a tight angle on the right side to tie the game, 2-2, in the 80th minute.
The Bulldogs (1-0-0) were the first to brake the deadlock in the 67th minute with a close-range headed goal by Mahoney off a corner delivered by Kaylor. And things got worse for the Bobcats (0-1-0) as they conceded another goal less than a minute later.
Senior forward Elise Kotsakis got free in the box and finished from six yards out as sophomore midfielder McKenzie Muchow delivered a precise cross from the right side of the box, giving Butler a 2-0 lead going into the last 20 minutes of the game.
But Ohio were not to be denied, as senior forward Liz Finley smashed a shot over freshman goalkeeper Madison Card to bring one back for the Bobcats in the 76th minute and give the Bobcats hope.
That hope was escalated even farther when Curry put her shot away, but the Bobcats’ luck ran out after they fought to get in to the overtime period. The physicality of the game appeared to take a toll on both teams as they walked into overtime, but the Bulldogs fought through the fatigue and grabbed the winner.
The game was rather chippy on both sides, with both teams recording double digit fouls. Ohio play Boilermaker Challenge Cup host Purdue on Sunday, Aug. 24 at 2 p.m.