Ohio (8-1-4, 3-0-3 Mid-American Conference) battled for a 1-0 victory Thursday against Eastern Michigan. The team earned its fourth shutout in MAC play, extending its streak of no losses in matches to ten, and saw Ohio coach Aaron Rodgers get his 50th MAC win.
The Ohio defense has been a stifling unit for opposing offenses to perform against in 2024. The defense allows 0.54 goals per game, 8.3 shots per game, and a 0.065 shot percentage this season.
This defense has led to Ohio not losing a match outright since losing to Michigan State on the road 3-0 on Aug. 25, giving up just three goals in the span.
With the most recent win of the streak comes a notable victory for Rodgers, eclipsing 50 conference victories in his 12th season as head coach.
On the streak, Rodgers had high praise for his 2024 team.
“All the teams that I’ve coached have had their own unique qualities, and I think this team is just more singularly focused on what the task at hand is for them,” Rodgers said. “I don’t need to find ways to motivate or encourage them.”
Rodgers’ tenure with the Bobcats has been filled with success. His most notable feat is coaching the team to its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 2023, shining as a veteran-laden underdog that came in as the MAC Tournament’s lowest seed.
Over his twelve seasons as head coach, Rodgers has accumulated a 91-101-27 record. Over the last six seasons, however, spanning back to 2019, the Bobcats hold a 52-37-15 record, with five of those six seasons finishing above .500.
In terms of raw win percentage, Ohio’s best season with Rodgers at the helm was 2021, when the team went 11-5-3 and 7-1-3 in the MAC. Ohio has a chance to finish even better with five games remaining on its regular season schedule.
Ohio will look to extend its lossless streak to 11 matches on Sunday in an away match against Ball State. The game will kick off at Briner Sports Complex at 1 p.m. Ohio most recently defeated Ball State in the 2023 season with a 2-0 victory on the road.
