Graduating seniors were honored before Ohio’s game against Missouri State Saturday at Pruitt Field, but one shined above the rest.
Senior Taylor Brown put on a show for the senior-day crowd against the Bears, scoring four goals in the Bobcat’s 5-1 victory.
“It’s an emotional day, so I just transferred those emotions onto the field. It’s a good feeling,” Brown said.
She put Ohio on the board less than five minutes into the game, deflecting junior Jessica Jue’s pass past Missouri State junior goalkeeper Andrea Bain, giving the Bobcats an early lead.
Shortly after Brown scored again in the 21st minute and again on a penalty stroke a minute later, Missouri State senior defender Reiann Stoute countered for the Bears’ first score.
But before the Bears could let the excitement of Stoute’s goal sink in, Ohio scored once again, as senior Laura Mastro emerged from a crowd in front of the goalkeeper and put the ball in the back of the net for her first goal of the season.
Brown completed her four-goal game on a second penalty stroke for her 11th goal of the season and 42nd of her career, moving her into sole position of third place on Ohio’s all-time goal scoring list.
“She’s just great in front of goal,” coach Neil Macmillan said. “She’s up there in career rankings in Ohio goals and you don’t get there if you can’t finish.”
Aside from Brown’s performance, Ohio put together a dominant showing in its final home game of the season, outshooting Missouri State 31-8.
“I think we’re very comfortable with where we are right now,” Macmillan said. “We ran a lot of people in there today and gave people some time off, which is nice.”
With the win, the Bobcats jumped the Bears in the Mid-American Conference standings, and are now in a four-way tie for first place with a 2-1 conference record.
ch203310@ohiou.edu
