Ohio lost its fifth-straight game Sunday.
Despite the Bobcats dropping their fifth game of the season Sunday, plaudits must be given to the defensive showing Ohio's back line put in against Kentucky.
The 3-0 result mirrors last season's score but last year's affair was plagued by the unrelenting rain and Ohio's sloppy play. This game focused on the persistent, and often desperate, defending the Bobcats (0-5) were doing in their own box.
The situation was not helped by the fact that typical starting goalkeeper Vanessa Cordoba was injured in the 27th minute after falling over a Kentucky (5-1) player when trying to collect a lofted ball from a corner.
But Beurket would have been beaten at least seven times if not for the defensive intervention of freshman Rianna Reese, senior Grace Campbell and sophomore Celeste Fushimi-Karns.
All three players played valiantly Sunday: tracking dangerous runs, ushering players out of good positions and often clearing the ball out of the area when Beurket or Cordoba looked certain to concede.
Reese was the best of the three, often putting in last-ditch tackles right outside her own six-yard box to take opportunities away from the Wildcats.
Despite the defense beginning to click, the offense still looked like a work in progress.
"We need to be more positive in defense and in attack," Ohio coach Aaron Rodgers said.
The Bobcats' best chance came in the 66th minute when redshirt junior Carly Manso was sent clear of the Wildcats' back line but saw her effort saved off the line by a Kentucky defender.
As Ohio did in the second half of its loss to Marshall, the Bobcats were more dangerous in the last half hour, but rarely looked exceedingly threatening.
Some players ran forward without checking back for the ball and passes rarely seemed to meet the target. That, along with Kentucky's stifling defense and ability to cover Ohio's fastest forwards, neutralized the Bobcats' attack. The Bobcats will need to be better for the entire game when they face Robert Morris.
"We created a lot of good chances in the last 30 minutes against Marshall and the last 30 minutes tonight," Rodgers said. "It's going to be a whole different ball game against Robert Morris."
After breaking its goalless streak Friday against Marshall, Ohio now needs to focus on finding some consistency in its striking corps and getting more effort from its midfielders.
The Bobcats return Friday to Chessa Field to face the 1-4 Colonels and that game might be the best opportunity for Ohio to record its first win before the conference season starts.
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