Sports
Ohio Field Hockey stops four penalty corners in a row to win first game
By: Andrew Woods
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ATHENS, Ohio (WOUB) — After losing their first game of the season to Michigan State, the Ohio Bobcats were determined to get their first win. However, the Saint Louis Billikens proved a worthy opponent, keeping the game within reach until the last moment. With time running out and Saint Louis one goal away from forcing overtime, the Bobcats stopped four straight penalty corners to gut out an exciting 2-1 win.
Both teams’ defenses stood strong early, as neither Ohio (1-1) nor Saint Louis (0-2) could get a shot on goal until late in the quarter. However, as the quarter continued, all the momentum shifted toward Saint Louis.
Although Saint Louis only got one shot in the quarter, the Billikens kept the ball and kept pressuring the Bobcats. Ohio’s defense withstood the pressure and kept the game tied at 0-0 at the end of the quarter.
Although Saint Louis had momentum early, Ohio made some adjustments during the break and took control of the game in the second period.
The Bobcats fired off six straight shots and took four penalty corners. Eventually, Ohio’s pressure caused the Saint Louis defense to crack, as Tiana Nhamoinesu scored her first goal of the season to give Ohio the lead.
Saint Louis began to crank up the pressure late in the quarter. The Billikens earned a penalty corner with about five minutes to go. Although their first corner failed, Saint Louis earned another corner and made the most of their second chance. With the goalkeeper out of position, Maddie Croghan scored a no-look shot to tie the game for the Billikens. Although Ohio had a few chances late in the half, the score remained tied 1-1 at halftime.
Both teams had chances in the third quarter, but neither could convert. Saint Louis took four shots in less than a minute, but none of them went in. Thirty seconds later, Ohio earned their first of four penalty corners. However, Saint Louis stood strong and blocked all four of them.
During the fourth quarter, both teams looked to deliver the knockout blow. Saint Louis got the first break, as the Billikens got a penalty corner with eight minutes left in the game. However, Molly Schreiner made two impressive saves to keep the score tied.
After stopping the Billikens, the Ohio offense brought pressure the other way. Although Ohio failed to convert two penalty corners, the Bobcats’ relentless attack paid off.
The Ohio offense set up a promising scoring chance, and Karley DuCoin was in the right place at the right time to convert it. The ball ricocheted off her stick and into the goal, giving the Bobcats the lead.
While Ohio had a few chances to score an insurance goal late, Saint Louis took the ball and pushed into Ohio’s end with time running out. With two seconds left on the clock, the Billikens forced a penalty corner.
Ohio stopped the first penalty corner and as the clock ran to zero, the Bobcats and their fans were ready to celebrate. However, the celebration would have to wait as Saint Louis got another penalty corner.
Saint Louis appeared to have scored the tying goal on the second penalty corner. However, before the ball went in the net, the referee signaled for a third penalty corner, which cancelled out the goal. Ohio blocked the third penalty corner, but Saint Louis got a fourth.
However, the fourth time was not the charm for the Billikens. The pass to set up the penalty corner bounced away. As the pass bounced away from the penalty area, the final whistle sounded, which signaled the Bobcats had finally won after surviving four penalty corners in a row, 2-1.
Goalkeeper Molly Schreiner said the win was especially exciting because all the work the Bobcats put in paid off with a big win.
“All that work we put in the entire game and this whole weekend as a whole was coming true,” Schreiner said. “We had worked so hard during that game to see the result of a win.”
Schreiner said Ohio’s penalty corner defense succeeded because they knew what to do and how to work together.
“We know our role and know we can do it well. So, we just come together and we were like, ‘Let’s just stand tall and be a wall,'” Schreiner said. “I had no doubt that anything else would happen.”
Ohio will look to take their momentum on the road. The Bobcats will play Queens University in Charlotte, N. C. on September 4 before visiting Wake Forest on September 6.