No. 3 Ohio (11-5-4, 5-3-3, Mid-American Conference) traveled to Kalamazoo, Michigan, to take on No. 2 Buffalo (11-1-7, 5-1-5 MAC) in the MAC Tournament semifinals, falling 2-1 in a dramatic end to the team’s season.
Ohio had advanced to the semifinals after a home victory against Bowling Green Sunday and challenged Buffalo for the second time in the 2024 season. During the regular season, Ohio fell to Buffalo 2-0 in a late-season road matchup Oct. 24.
Ohio and Buffalo were fierce on defense as the match got underway, playing aggressively and limiting the opposing offense's opportunities. Neither offense managed a shot attempt within the first nine minutes of play.
Buffalo forward Jasmine Guerber found a breakaway towards the Ohio net and put a shot quickly past goalkeeper Celeste Sloma 12 minutes in, giving Buffalo an early 1-0 deficit. This goal was Guerber’s second against Ohio this season, scoring first for Buffalo in the regular season matchup against Ohio.
After the game's first score, both offenses intensified their efforts to find opportunities. Ohio and Buffalo traded shots back and forth until the 35th minute when Ohio defender Lillian Weller was fouled inside the box and awarded a penalty shot for the Bobcats.
Weller put the free kick past the arm of the Buffalo goalkeeper to even the score at 1-1 late in the first half.
As the first half came to a close, the Ohio offense managed three shots, one shot on goal and two corner kicks in the final 10 minutes of first-half play but could not break through the Buffalo defense, ending the first half tied at 1-1.
At the beginning of the second half, Ohio’s defense picked up the aggressiveness, not allowing a Buffalo shot until the 61st minute. Both teams presented physical play throughout the match. However, as the game intensified, Ohio forward Jaimason Brooker and defender Norah Roush were given yellow cards in the 60th and 61st minutes.
In the 81st minute, the Buffalo offense capitalized on two late corner kick opportunities, and midfielder Kelly Severini put a loose ball past the Oho defense and Sloma, pushing Ohio back to a late deficit at 2-1.
The Ohio offense attempted to find an equalizing goal but could not break through the Buffalo defense in the final minutes, and No. 3 Ohio fell to No. 2 Buffalo.
In the defeat, Ohio forward Scout Murray managed to record four shots with two shots on goal with defender Norah Roush tallying another 90-minute performance as the anchor of the Ohio defensive attack.
Ohio’s 2024 season ended with a consecutive MAC Tournament birth and earned its highest overall seed in the tournament since the 2021 season. However, Ohio is unable to reclaim the title defense from 2023.
