Anything Ohio could do, Xavier could do better.
At least that was the general sense around Chessa Field on Friday evening, as the Musketeers picked up a 3-2 win in double overtime in the Bobcats’ home opener.
“Today’s match has been our biggest offensive output,” Rodgers said, after his team won 16 corners and had 17 shots. “We’ve got to convert those chances and it takes being able to perform under pressure.”
Ohio struck the first blow in the 20th minute when redshirt sophomore Carly Manso delivered a corner in for a headed goal from senior midfielder Annie Beard, her first career goal.
The Musketeers equalized a minute later when a poor pass in the Bobcats midfield set up Xavier freshman midfielder Kenadie Carlson, who’s shot was mishandled by Ohio senior goalkeeper Nicole Amari and was tapped in by sophomore forward Tori Doss.
In the 63th minute, the Bobcats were able to pull ahead again from a curled effort by Manso, who shrugged off a defender and slotted the ball into the lower right corner.
Momentum stayed with the home side throughout most the match, but defensive breakdowns left Ohio susceptible multiple times. And then in the 82nd minute, Xavier finally capitalized when a poor kick from Amari left her out of position in no man’s land as Doss chipped the keeper for her brace—her second goal of the match.
The game-tying goal was enough for Rodgers to react by slamming his chair into the ground, or as he put it, channeling his inner Bobby Knight, the old vivacious college basketball coach.
“It’s frustrating, not so much in the many that we gave up a goal, but how we gave up the goal,” Rodgers said. “We present them the opportunities to score these goals and that’s the frustrating part. We’re going to give up goals, but it’s how those goals come about.”
The Bobcats were denied a last-second heroic goal from a Manso corner, as the ball bounced around in a skirmish on the Xavier goal line, but was ultimately cleared away, sending the match to extra time.
By the time the Musketeers scored the game winner, in the 108th minute, both teams were visibly fatigued and slowing down under the 90-degree sun. Rodgers acknowledged the sun, but quickly said both teams had to play under the same conditions.
“Credit to Xavier to come out and score goals,” coach Aaron Rodgers said. “We scored two really good goals but gave the ball away too many times and that’s how you give up goals.”
Ohio will play Sunday afternoon against Eastern Kentucky, a side it beat 5-1 last season.
@charliehatch_
gh181212@ohiou.edu
