Ohio (4-2) will finish up its stretch of three straight road matches when it visits Mid-American Conference opponent Kent State.
Here’s the information for Saturday’s match:
Opponent: Kent State Golden Flashes
Match Location: Murphy-Mellis Field in Kent, Ohio
Match Date: Sept. 28 at noon
Opponent’s Current Record: 4-5
How to Watch: Streamed on Boxcast
What’s happened so far:
Ohio is off to a solid start to the 2019 season. Its only losses have come to two ranked teams, and it won its first MAC match in a comeback victory at Appalachian State last week.
Match information:
Last year, Kent State defeated Ohio 2-1 in Athens. That loss for the Bobcats was part of their seven-match losing streak in 2018.
Ohio has a lot to be proud and disappointed about from the last weekend. After being down 5-2 in the fourth quarter against Appalachian State, the Bobcats scored four unanswered points to beat the Mountaineers 6-5 in one of the most thrilling matches in recent history. That following Sunday, they were crushed by the No. 2 Duke 7-0, which was the first time Ohio was shutout this season.
Kent State has had an up and down season. The Golden Flashes have had a number of impressive wins so far, including a 2-1 victory over No. 24 Maine. Kent State is currently on a losing streak of two straight matches, losing to No. 8 Iowa 1-5 and No. 9 Michigan 0-4. While the Golden Flashes have been unable to defeat many of their tougher opponents so far, they are 3-1 at home, and a competent team that won’t allow the Bobcats to get a win on their home turf without a fight.
Going 5-2 is important for Ohio, as two of its next three matches are against ranked teams (No. 14 Ohio State and No. 24 Michigan State). Leaders for the Bobcats include redshirt senior Kendall Ballard and junior Leah Warren, who lead the team in goals with four each. Warren had two against Appalachian State, including the last-minute game winner; she was named the MAC Offensive Player of the Week for her performance. Other players to watch for are redshirt senior goalkeeper Sophia Boothby, who has 22 saves on the season, and junior Emma Spinetto, who has the third most points on the team with six on the season. A victory for Ohio will be a great recovery after the tough loss to Duke and a satisfying conclusion to its road trip.
