Six points are not only expected, but are also needed from Ohio’s team this weekend.
The Bobcats (6-5-5, 2-3-3 Mid-American Conference) are fighting to keep their postseason aspirations alive this weekend on the road against Toledo and Northern Illinois.
Ohio could potentially be left on the outside looking in when it comes to the MAC Tournament time if it performs poorly this weekend, as Northern Illinois is just one point below Ohio’s No. 7 spot in the conference, while Toledo is two points back.
With three games remaining this season, it’s crucial for the Bobcats to be playing their best soccer of the season. Ohio will look to continue their momentum after an impressive game against one of the MAC’s best in Western Michigan.
“We should have a little chip on our shoulder,” coach Aaron Rodgers said. “This is the first time in the MAC conference we’ve been shutout. I know we’re capable of scoring goals. If we match our intensity level and our effort level that we played against Western on Sunday I think we’ll create those chances again and score some goals.”
But the Bobcats should score goals, as both the Rockets and the Huskies have given up plenty of goals on the season. Toledo (5-10-1, 2-5-1 MAC) has allowed 33 goals to its opponents, while Northern Illinois has allowed 29 on the season.
“We just need to do our best like we did on Sunday to just give it everything we have,” senior goalkeeper Mattie Liston said. “We have played games in the past and just let them slide and not cared about losing, but that’s not good enough anymore and it shouldn’t have been then. We just really need to keep our rhythm and momentum and we’ll be fine.”
Toledo has one of the most prominent goal-scoring threats in the MAC with senior forward Rachel MacLeod, who has scored 11 goals. If the Ohio backline can stop her, the Bobcats should be in great shape, as no one else on the Toledo team poses much of a goal-scoring threat.
The same goes for Northern Illinois (4-9-3, 2-4-2 MAC), as their primary scorer, sophomore forward Nicole Gobbo, has six goals on the season, which accounts for a third of Northern Illinois’ scoring.
On the offensive side, Ohio will look to control most of the possession and in doing so control the tempo of the game.
However, the Huskies are 4-0-1 in DeKalb, Ill., this season, though Ohio is 4-1-3 this away from Athens.
“It’s going to be fun; it’s going to be a good atmosphere full of Illinois fans, so it will be interesting,” said senior midfielder Maggie Murnane.
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UP NEXT
4 p.m. Friday
Ohio vs. Toledo
2 p.m. Saturday
Ohio vs. Western Michigan
