Ohio suffered two losses this weekend.
Ohio’s inconsistency continues to show as the team gave up a 2-0 lead to fall 4-2 to No. 16 Northwestern on Sunday. The Bobcats would continue to have pockets of good play, but stumbled as the game wore on.
Although Ohio (8-8, 3-2 Mid-American Conference) suffered its second straight loss — they lost to Kent State on Friday—its determination to start off well could be seen within the first three minutes when senior Clarissa Leickly scored the team’s first goal.
Despite the team having success early on scoring two quick goals in the first half—the other was from senior Adele Sammons — the Bobcats started to fall flat toward the end of the first half due to a lack of execution on corners.
At the outset, the team had solid execution on corners, but as the game went on, it seemed to turn the ball over every time they would set up for one.
“Our corners were off today,” said coach Neil Macmillan. “We couldn’t stop the ball, and I don’t think that was something I was overly happy with.”
Northwestern would score near the end of the first half, and would carry that momentum into the second, scoring three unanswered goals.
“We played great the first half, we were up 2-1,” said Leickly. “In the second half, Northwestern was gunning for us, so we didn’t step up as they stepped up.”
As the MAC tournament draws near, Ohio’s inconsistencies will be an issue that needs to be addressed if it wants to make it in.
“We usually come out and play a really good first 15 minutes, and then we drop off a bit,” said Adele Sammons. “I think we’re focusing on playing a full game of hockey.”
Shades of inconsistency have started to resurface in the once surging Bobcats. Because they lost 2-1 at Kent State on Friday, the Bobcats no longer have the No. 1 seed in the conference.
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Similar to the team not being able to control its own destiny in MAC seeding, it wasn’t in control of the game against the Golden Flashes either. Kent State would score two goals within the first six minutes of the game to jump out to a quick two goal lead.
"Very disappointing day for us,” said coach Neil Macmillan about Friday. “I thought, overall, we did a decent job. Unfortunately, when you give a team a two-goal lead, it's very hard to fight back into the game.”
Although Northwestern was able to do that Sunday.
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