Ohio’s fourth match this season to reach double overtime ended in failure when it fell 4-3 to Miami at Pruitt Field on Friday.
The Bobcats fell behind almost immediately. In just the second minute of the match, Miami midfielder Morgan Sturm scored to put Miami on top early. Miami continued to press on offense, and it finished the match with 18 total shots and 12 shots on goal. Ohio managed to even the score after Katelyn Whittle scored in the 12th minute.
The Bobcats followed up on Whittle’s goal with a goal from Noa Desmaretz in the 25th minute, but the RedHawks struck right back with a goal of their own. Midfielder Jenna Kirby slotted a goal to even the score once again. The Bobcats tried to capitalize with four shots in the second quarter, but were shot down by three saves from RedHawks goalkeeper Isabelle Perese.
The offense slowed after halftime. Ohio and Miami combined for just four shots in the third quarter. Ohio coach Ali Johnstone noted Miami’s fast-paced offense, and how slowing it down while on defense provided Ohio with a chance to remain competitive.
“This match is fast, we like to play fast,” Johnstone said. “You want to play fast when you have the ball and you want to be composed when you don’t have the ball … it’s trying to match their speed. We have the speed, but it’s trying to slow down their momentum. They’re very strong. They’re very quick. They’re very skilled”.
The fourth quarter was a different story, however. Both Ohio and Miami recorded four penalty corners apiece, and midfielder Leah Warren took advantage of one of those penalty corners to grant Ohio a 3-2 lead.
Ohio thought it had the match sealed. Warren had scored with five minutes left in regulation, and Ohio just had to hold out until then. But Miami had other plans. Claudia Negrete Garcia, the Mid-American Conference leader in goals this season, scored in the 58th minute and sent the match into overtime.
Ohio has gone into overtime in four of its last five matches, and the fatigue was palpable. Miami recorded four combined shots in both overtime periods, and Ohio failed to record a single save. Negrete Garcia ended the match with a goal just three minutes into the second overtime period.
The Bobcats have lost two of their five matches that have gone into overtime this season, and are still without a winning record. Despite this, the Bobcats were still able to take the RedHawks — one of the top teams in the MAC — into double overtime.
With just two matches left in the regular season, Ohio might be able to build off its loss and finish its schedule on a high note.
