What a difference a year makes.
Today's home soccer game between Ohio (4-9-1 overall, 2-5-1 Mid-American Conference) and Miami (4-7-2, 3-5-1 MAC) was supposed to be a key match-up on the Bobcats' schedule. It still is, but for far different reasons than anyone might have guessed before the season.
The game is a rematch of last year's MAC Tournament final, in which the Bobcats lost 5-1. Both teams entered this season with high hopes but now are fighting just to qualify for the conference tournament.
Miami is a young team with just one senior on its roster. Forward Ashley Swinehart leads the RedHawks and is second in the conference with 11 goals scored this season.
Ohio midfielder Carolyn Valade said the Bobcats will defend Swinehart just as they defend anyone else.
Team defending and passing players off is what we do
so I don't think we'll really change anything that much just for one person she said.
Valade said the Bobcats, winless in their last six games, are eager to take on Miami at home and try to avenge last year's tournament and regular season losses to the RedHawks.
We always get obviously
very fired up to play Miami
Valade said. We owe them pretty bad. Our field
compared to their field
is a lot different. Our field is a lot bigger than theirs
so it's usually an adjustment for them to play here - the same way when we play there - so we'll use that to our advantage.
Sunday the Bobcats play Ball State. In third place in the MAC, the Cardinals (7-5-2, 5-3-1 MAC) have found success through patient, low-scoring play. The Cardinals have played only one game that has been decided by more than one goal and have not scored more than two goals in one game all season.
Ohio lost to Ball State in the regular season last year but got its revenge with a win against the Cardinals in the MAC Tournament semifinal. Ohio coach Stacy Strauss said the Bobcats will use Sunday what they learned and applied last season.
I think we need to come with a lot of speed and create dangerous chances
and just keep plugging away
she said. Ball State is a team that will be organized and constantly have numbers behind the ball. We'll have to find the seams and be patient.
Ohio faces a must-win situation this weekend as the race for the conference tournament tightens. The Bobcats stand five points out of the eighth and final spot, and another loss would distance them even farther.
Despite the unfavorable circumstances, the Bobcats have remained optimistic in practice this week, forward Christel Schiering said.
We had a lot of fun this week
she said. We're just taking it as it is. We know what we have to do
