Ohio's defense hasn't been great this season — which was further emphasized in its 3-0 loss to WMU on Sunday — but it has the chance to end a seven-year losing record against Miami on Friday.
After a lackluster 3-0 loss to Western Michigan on Sunday, Ohio walked off the field having fallen back to a middling 2-2 record in conference play. The biggest talking point from the day was the defensive meltdowns, with all three of the Broncos' goals coming off failed clearances in the box.
Sophomore Celeste Fushimi-Karns was the only member of the back line to play the entire game with coach Aaron Rodgers rotating both full-back spots with a carousel of players and giving senior Grace Campbell some rest before an upcoming road schedule.
Next game, new ambitions
After being shut out by the Broncos, the Bobcats face a potent RedHawks team Friday that has been shut out twice this season and who the Bobcats have failed to beat since 2008. But this could be the season in which Ohio get its win.
Miami is 2-2 at home this season, dropping games to mediocre competition in Valparaiso and Florida International, which, statistically, could make a win in Oxford more attainable.
But if the Bobcats are to win, the defense has to step up.
Too often this season, the defense has looked vulnerable on the flanks, with both sophomore Kelley Zebrowski and freshman Rianna Reese looking to push forward and join the attack. When that happens, it leaves their center-backs exposed and allows their opponents to capitalize and attack down the flanks. While both own a great deal of pace and positional knowledge that aid them in tracking back, the flank has been a trouble spot this season for Ohio.
{{tncms-asset app="editorial" id="9be59ae2-6ad2-11e5-bdef-cbd8e77f71b4"}}
This could be equated to Reese being unexperienced in her first year and Zebrowski learning a new position after spending her entire career as a forward, but the RedHawks and other opponents will hardly care.
When Reese and Zebrowski were switched out for freshmen Mandy Arnzen and Mikaela McGee on Sunday, the defense improved, but their lack of experience quickly showed. McGee went down with an apparent knee injury in the 70th minute and further tested the Bobcats' defensive depth.
But with plenty of cover in Arnzen and juniors Kinsey Swartztrauber and Brooke Kemerer, Ohio has plenty of reinforcements should McGee's injury lead to a long spell on the sideline.
So, there's a chance?
The Bobcats have been relatively successful with their first-choice back line of Zebrowski, Fushimi-Karns, Campbell and Reese, and if they can bounce back after a lax Sunday showing, this Friday's could be competitive.
Rodgers mentioned earlier in the week that Sunday games are always hard in the Mid-American Conference. His case was not helped by the fact that his Bobcats took 105 minutes to beat a stout Northern Illinois team Friday and looked tired in Sunday's loss.
But with five days of rest and a rivalry game on the line, it's hard to imagine anything could fire the Bobcats' defense up more than being able to end a seven-year drought against their arch-rival.
@kellenbecoats
