Nothing worth having ever comes easily. For Ohio, that might just be a berth in the Mid-American Conference Tournament. Following a five-match losing streak that culminated in a blowout loss at home to Ohio State, Ohio has responded perfectly, not allowing a goal in nearly two weeks. It crushed Bellarmine by a score of 4-0, with all the goals coming in the second half.
Here are some numbers to know from the Bobcat victory:
1
The Bobcats have a singular MAC contest remaining on the docket. The match might just be the most important one of the season. The Bobcats will enter with a 3-3 conference record, one win away from the benchmark of four that usually ensures a bid to the conference tournament. Appalachian State will enter with either an identical 3-3 record or 4-2 mark, depending on the result of its match against Ball State on Friday night.
Regardless of the result, a win over Appalachian State guarantees Ohio a spot in the MAC tournament. The path to this point has been difficult, but Ohio has persevered through some valleys to arrive at what it hopes can be a peak for the program to cap off a season filled with improvements.
2
Katelyn Whittle has not had the senior season she likely envisioned as her scoring is down from a season ago, but she has established herself as a true two-way player with some superb defense. Additionally, she has used the increased defensive focus from oppositions to set up teammates with easy looks. Against Bellarmine, Whittle looked like her former self, scoring two goals in the third quarter to give the Bobcats the lead.
For Ohio to reach its full potential, Whittle will need to be playing at her highest level. Not only does she hold the title of team captain, but she is the focal point for any defense. Whittle was going to be the most important player for Ohio from the onset of the season, but her worth is being fully displayed as the season winds down.
12
One thing that became evident during the match was how overpowering Ohio was offensively. Ohio put 12 shots on goal, most of which came in the second half when its offensive attack simply wore Bellarmine out.
The Bobcats and Knights were deadlocked for the first 35 minutes before Whittle scored. After she scored again minutes later, the Bobcats were relentless, continuing to hammer away at the Knights’ defense that seemed impermeable earlier in the match. The fourth quarter was more of the same for the Bobcats as they again scored twice in a dominant display.
