After a solid performance from Ohio on Friday, the Bobcats had a completely different game on Sunday. Ohio claimed three points this weekend after a win against Ball State (1-0) and a loss to rival Miami (2-0).
In a similar script, Ohio split yet another weekend.
Following a 1-0 victory against Ball State Friday, Ohio fell 2-0 against Mid-American Conference rival Miami in the Battle of the Bricks.
After the Bobcats (6-8, 3-3 MAC) put forth a complete 90-minute effort Friday, they started slow Sunday by giving up a goal in the third minute — which only made matters worse.
Miami’s Maggie Scott opened the scoring in that third minute, when she finished a cross from Kelsey Dinges.
“After coming off what was one of our most complete games of the year on Friday, mentally I don’t think we were ready for today,” coach Aaron Rodgers said.
Ohio struggled to recover from the early deficit and Miami (10-2-1, 4-1-1 MAC) took advantage of the momentum swing but not giving Ohio any opportunities.
In the 27th minute, Ohio had a chance to tie the match at one, when a corner from Carly Manso was played into the box and Annie Beard headed it toward the goal. Unfortunately for Ohio, a Miami defender cleared it off the line and the Bobcats remained off the board.
The Bobcats were physically dominated and unable to answer throughout the remainder of the game. They threatened with just three first-half corners, none resulting in a goal.
Unlike Friday’s domination where Ohio almost doubled Ball State’s scoring opportunities, that was not the case Sunday.
Ohio had just seven shots and only four were on goal.
“We had a couple of chances that maybe if we were a little more aggressive or a little more clinical, we put them away and it makes it a different game,” Rodgers said.
Opposite of Ohio, Miami had 18 shots, nine on target.
Senior defender Gabby Hausfeld, who was injured during Friday’s match, will not return for the rest of the season.
“Gabby’s a great leader,” Rodgers said. “She is being a great leader on the sideline.”
As a result, freshman Megan Niebuhr made her first start at center back.
“She fits right in,” senior midfielder Tonya Frasik said. “I think she is going to step up and show what she can do.”
Rodgers wanted to break the streak of Friday wins and Sunday losses that the Bobcats have seen the past two weekends, but they came up short with yet another three-point weekend.
This past weekend showed that Ohio still struggles when it comes to Sunday matches, but hopefully the Bobcats will be able to break the Sunday losing streak and have a six-point weekend like Rodgers would like.
“We’ve just got to be more mentally strong on Sundays and we haven’t proved it yet,” Rodgers said.
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