Sports
Soccer: Buffalo Hands Ohio Home Loss In Double Overtime
By: Anthony Allocco
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The Ohio soccer team battled Buffalo Sunday coming off a 3-1 victory over Akron on Friday. The closely contested battle was controlled in the midfield for the majority of the game, but the Bulls handed the Bobcats their first loss in double overtime, 1-0.
“I thought we competed well,” said Ohio head coach Aaron Rodgers, who was clearly affected by the heartbreak that came in the 109th minute off of Katie Roberts’ goal.
The Bobcats were not short of their own scoring chances, however. Ohio had eight corner kicks on the day, none of them finding the net behind Bulls keeper Laura Dougall. Set pieces were not the only area of the game Rodgers wants to see improved out of his team.
“Our counter-attacks weren't good enough,” Rodgers said.
Counter-attacks played a big role of the game for both squads. For 108 minutes of the game Ohio’s defense held firmly against a physical Buffalo attack.
Buffalo had possession early and often in the first half, appearing to have a bit more energy than Ohio. Roberts took the first shot for the Bulls missing wide in the third minute, but Roberts would have more success later on in the game.
Two early shots for Buffalo sparked intensity in Ohio. Rodgers was somewhat pleased with the team’s intensity.
“That’s a physical team,” Rodgers said as he commented on the midgame Ohio adjustments.
Forward Lexi Milesky was visibly committed to stepping up the physical game for the Bobcats. She contended numerous 50-50 balls and was booked for a yellow card on a hard slide tackle in the 29th minute. Milesky’s yellow card was just the second Ohio booking in 10 games.
Another Bobcat adjustment was to set offside traps extremely close to mid-field. In the second half Buffalo had two runs behind the Bobcat back line that were called back due to offsides.
Ohio keeper Nicole Amari had four saves on the day to add to her previous total of 57. She entered Sunday’s matchup leading all MAC goalies in saves. The senior had a key stop 28 seconds prior to the game-winning goal that Ohio was unable to clear out of their end of the pitch.
Rodgers is still confident in his team’s chances to compete in the MAC.
“We are 1-1 with nine more games to go,” Rodgers said. With Sunday’s loss Ohio drops to 4-6 on the season and 1-1 in the conference.
The Bobcats’ next game will come on Friday at Western Michigan.