Ohio (3-5-4 overall, 1-1-3 in the Mid-American Conference) hosted Ball State (4-4-2 overall, 0-2-2 MAC) Thursday for a hard-fought game the Cardinals would take by a score of 2-0.
“We need to continue playing aggressive and be efficient on our shots, and that’s what Ball State did,” Ohio head coach Aaron Rodgers said. “We’ve been outshooting our opponents in the last few games; we just haven't been able to bury them.”
The Bobcats went on the attack, opening the ninth minute with a corner kick, creating a shot opportunity for senior Hailey Jeng that was blocked by the Cardinals. A minute later, the Bobcats sent in a shot by Rayann Pruss that was blocked and immediately picked up by junior Jaimason Brooker, who placed a bottom-center shot saved by the Cardinals' goalkeeper Kate Pallante.
In the 23rd minute, the Bobcats sent a high crosser into the box that was headed by junior Kate Robinson, missing left of the net. The Cardinals responded late in the 25th minute with a center shot that was batted away by senior goalkeeper Celeste Sloma.
After a constant back-and-forth battle for possession, Brooker sent in her second shot, missing off target left of the net in the 31st. Sloma made an amazing diving stop seconds later, creating a shot opportunity in the 35th minute for sophomore Allie Mouch that sailed over the bar, ending in a Cardinal goal kick.
The 40th minute saw sophomore Sania Dearing rushing down the sideline, sending in a deflected crosser that set up back-to-back corners for the Bobcats that finished with an off target shot from sophomore Iro Fakinou. The first period ended with both teams locked at 0-0.
The Cardinals kicked off the second half with an aggressive attack allowing them to take a 1-0 lead in the 47th minute with a goal from Addie Chester. Ohio stormed back with a beautiful shot that barely sailed over the center bar from senior Ella Deevers.
Ball State responded with three shots, including a great save from Sloma on a bottom-center shot from Tori Monaco. A handball late in the 57th minute gave the Bobcats an opportunity to respond, but the build-up resulted in a Ball State goal kick. The Bobcats stormed back seconds later with a great crosser into Deevers that was headed into the hands of Pallante.
A minute later, Deveers continued to find open space, placing a shot wide left of the goal. Ball State responded back with another opportunity to score with several passes into the box that ended with the ball flying into the hands of Sloma off the foot of Emily St. Roper.
After three straight corner kicks in the 65th minute, Jeng placed a shot just wide of the net. Ball State’s Chester buried her second goal of the game in the 67th minute.
“She is very aggressive and very dynamic, willing to take risks and finish the chances," Rodgers said of Chester. “She put both goals off either post, and she’s just great at finishing shots.”
In the 80th minute, the Bobcats sent in a high crosser that was headed off target by Deevers. A minute later, Dearing sped free with a shot that just missed the mark, setting up a corner for Ohio where Pallante made a magnificent diving save off a top left shot from Jeng. Both teams fought until the final whistle with Ball State taking home the victory 2-0.
“We’ve got to find a cutting edge in front of the goal and take risks and chances to put the ball in the back of the net,” Rodgers said. “We’re progressing the ball upfield and getting in the right places, we just haven’t quite found that finishing touch.”
The Bobcats finished the game outshooting Ball State 18-8, with Deveers leading the team with four shots, while Brooker and Jeng continued their aggressive offensive play with three shots apiece, and Allie Mouch picked up two shots of her own.
Sloma allowed two goals for the second time all season as she finished with four saves on eight shots.
The Bobcats will look to turn it around next Thursday as they travel to Kent State University to face the Golden Flashes at 7 p.m.
