Sports
Soccer: Ohio outlasts WMU in overtime
By: George Peck
Posted on:
On paper, the matchup between Ohio and Western Michigan seemed very even. This turned out to be true, as the Bobcats came out of Kalamazoo on top 2-1 in an overtime thriller.
Ohio and Western Michigan came into the game at 1-1 in league play, each having just dropped their first conference game. One team would come out above .500 in league, and one below. No one needed any more motivation coming into a big conference game.
The first half ended scoreless as the two teams felt each other out. The second half brought the action. In the 56th minute, WMU’s Stephanie Skowneski centered a ball that Anina Cicerone put past Mattie Liston to give the Broncos a 1-0 lead. The Bobcats continued to play tough, waiting for an opportunity. Toye Famodu converted on a Katie Kemen shot off the crossbar that Famodu was able to rebound in to tie the game 1-1. The teams battled it out the rest of regulation, and fittingly the game went into overtime.
It didn’t take long for Ohio (5-6, 2-1 MAC) to slam the door shut. Kelsey Pichel struck a corner kick in in the 94th minute, and abruptly ended the game. She bent it like Beckham into the goal untouched.
This was just the kind of win the Bobcats needed to begin their four-game conference road trip. The game was scrappy and hard-fought, each team finishing with eight fouls. Ohio came from a goal down, to win in overtime, on the road. You have to credit this team’s resilience. The Broncos (5-6, 1-2 MAC) took 24 shots as opposed to Ohio’s 12. Mattie Liston’s stellar play in goal is becoming routine. She had 11 saves, and really kept the Bobcats in the game. Ohio will look to continue its strong play Sunday at Northern Illinois.