The Ohio soccer team continues the pursuit of its first-ever NCAA Tournament berth this weekend.
The Bobcats (10-9-1) visit Western Michigan (11-7-1) today in a Mid-American Conference Tournament semifinal match.
Both teams are on a roll. No. 7 seed Ohio has won its last six games, the last a 1-0 quarterfinal victory at No. 2 Kent State Tuesday. No. 3 Western Michigan downed Buffalo Tuesday, 3-0, to win its seventh in a row.
The Bobcats lost, 2-1, to the Broncos when they met early in the regular season. The Broncos' win started a 9-2 finish to their season. The Bobcats, however, went five more games without a win before beginning their current hot streak.
Ohio coach Stacy Strauss said the Bobcats have come a long way since that game.
At that point in the season
we were struggling defensively she said. We had some lapses. Both goals happened because of defensive errors on our part. In recent games we've been error free.
Strauss said Ohio has continued to work in practice on finishing scoring opportunities. Tuesday's defensive struggle against the Golden Flashes showed the importance of each and every goal, she said.
(Western Michigan) is pretty good defensively
so it should be an evenly played game
she said. It will likely come down to who finishes better.
One hope for the Bobcats today is the return to a larger field, said back Jennifer Wright. Ohio had to cope with Kent State's narrow field Tuesday.
Western Michigan has a little bigger field
which will help us out
she said. If we bring the same intensity we have had in recent games
the same enthusiasm
and play a little sharper
we'll be able to play how we like to play.
During Ohio's recent streak, the team has been playing in a 4-3-3 formation, in which more players attack the goal. Forward Christel Schiering said this style is a key part of their success.
Our new formation has allowed us more offensive pressure on the field
she said. I don't think it's as easy for teams to defend us.
If Ohio wins today, it will advance to Sunday's MAC Tournament final against the winner of the semifinal match between No. 8 Bowling Green and No. 5 Central Michigan.
Ohio was chosen as this year's preseason MAC favorite after reaching the conference tournament final last year but finished the regular season in a tie for fifth. Despite their struggles, the Bobcats have had their sights set all season on winning the conference tournament, Schiering said.
It has been our goal all year to get into the NCAA Tournament
