Despite gray skies, steady rain and strong winds sweeping across Chessa Field, Ohio (4-8-5 overall, 2-4-4 Mid-American Conference) battled through the elements Sunday afternoon to defeat Northern Illinois (4-8-3, 2-5-2 MAC) in a dominant 3-0 victory.
From the opening whistle, the Bobcats controlled possession, pressing deep into NIU territory and testing the Huskies’ defense early. That early start with possession led to a breakthrough, as in just the 9th minute, sophomore forward Jaimason Brooker struck gold with her first goal of the season.
Brooker’s goal marked the beginning of a strong offensive display. However, just six minutes later, she was briefly sidelined after rolling to the ground following a hard challenge. Alongside the team trainer, Brooker walked off under her own power with a slight limp. The injury scare proved minor as she would later return in the second half to finish what she started.
Ohio’s momentum continued in the 24th minute when Quintin Tostevin netted her third goal of the season off a sharp assist from Hailey Jeng. The Bobcats nearly added to their lead moments later with a goal that was ruled offside, and a dangerous shot by Kate Robinson in the 27th minute forced Huskies goalkeeper Lauren Pearson to make one of several critical saves.
Despite allowing two early goals, Pearson remained resilient in the net, recording eight saves across the match and keeping Northern Illinois within reach through much of the first half. Ohio outshot NIU 8-2 before halftime and would go on to tally 20 total shots to NIU’s five.
The second half opened with Brooker back on the pitch, alongside continued offensive pressure from Iro Fakinou, who unleashed multiple shots on goal, including one that struck the left post in the 61st minute. On the defensive side for Ohio, goalkeeper Celeste Sloma shouted orders to keep the ball as Ohio dominated possession.
The Huskies fought back with grit, their white jerseys streaked with mud from sliding tackles and tight defensive stands. Defender Sarah Helphinstine anchored Ohio’s backline, clearing several dangerous balls as NIU sought to capitalize on set pieces. Despite NIU’s two corner kicks in the second half, Sloma faced only one shot on goal all afternoon.
With 11 minutes remaining, Brooker returned to the stat sheet, this time as the playmaker. Her corner kick curled perfectly into the box, where Tostevin connected with her right foot to bury Ohio’s third goal of the day in the bottom left corner, her second of the match and fourth of the season.
A theme for Ohio’s season has been its ability to create shots and chances, often outshooting opponents with some solid attacking, but being unable to convert those chances into goals. On Sunday against the Huskies, the Bobcats were able to convert, and they did so in a big way.
As the clock wound down, the Bobcats’ bench and starters alike urged one another forward, voices carrying over the wind. When the final whistle blew, Ohio walked away soaked but smiling, earning a much-needed home win as the regular season nears its close.
The Bobcats will return to Chessa Field for their final home match of the season against rivals, the Miami Redhawks, on Thursday at 3 p.m., giving them a chance to close out their home slate with momentum.
