It took nearly two weeks, five losses, 15 goals against the Bobcats and 22 shots on Sunday alone, but coach Neil Macmillan finally has his record.
Ohio's game against Towson — a team that had also only won one game going into Sunday — looked like the best chance for Macmillan to record his 124th win, the most in Ohio history, and the Bobcats rewarded him by squeaking out a 2-1 victory.
The Bobcats were dominant in nearly every category, racking up 17 shots on target, 18 corners and forcing 15 saves from the Tigers' goalkeeper.
That persistent pressure paid off for Ohio in the 21st minute when Maria Russell scored the team's first goal, which gave the Bobcats' their first lead in a game since Aug. 28.
Ohio has been haunted by defensive fragility all season, however, and it came back when the Tigers equalized in the 56th minute.
But a new resilience and an affinity for late goals has sprouted in the Bobcats within the past couple games — as evidenced by their attempts at a late comeback Friday against Cornell — and it became apparent four minutes before Sunday's game was over.
Russell was involved once again as a scrum in front of the net, leaving the goal wide open for Brittany Keen to deliver the Bobcats their second win of the season.
The schedule certainly doesn't get any easier after Friday though, as Ohio prepares to play Ball State and start conference play the week after.
The Bobcats have had success against the Cardinals in the past, with Ball State's last win coming in 2013.
It was around this time last season when Ohio won six of nine games before slumping for the last three weeks of the season. For now though, Macmillan can take solace in the addition of the newest record to his resume and trying to build his team's confidence back up after a rough few weeks of the season.
