Ohio (4-5, 1-1 Mid-American Conference) defeated Longwood (3-5, 1-2 MAC) by a score of 2-1. In a slow-paced game from both teams that led into a shootout, Ohio was able to emerge with the victory and add another win to its total.
The first score of the game came in the third minute with Longwood getting on the board with a goal from forward Jane Ramsay. The shot came after Longwood put together a run of four shots and two penalty corners, completely uninterrupted. The offense on both ends would slow down for the following stretch, as no more shots would be recorded until the second quarter.
The defense was the name of the game. Both teams didn't let the ball go towards the net, and both teams had around the same amount of shots, Ohio finishing with eleven and Longwood finishing with 10. With both teams' offenses playing evenly, the defenses were on point. Ohio had five saves, while Longwood had four. Even the penalty corners almost evenly matched, as Ohio recorded six to Longwood's five.
With the third quarter having started and the scoring drought from both teams in the second, some action needed to happen. Ohio did just that as they scored their first points from midfielder Noa Desmaretz, assisted by back Meela Kopp, tying the game 1-1. The rest of the third quarter would be scoreless, with much the same in the fourth.
With Ohio and Longwood neck and neck heading into the final quarter of regulation, the next score held immense weight. None of the tension would be relieved as the game remained tied 1-1 at the end of regulation. Longwood got two shots off in the fourth quarter, with those being the only attempts from either team. This resulted in a tie at the end of regulation, and Ohio and Longwood would face off in two 10-minute overtime periods under sudden-death conditions. If neither team scored, the game would go into a shootout.
The first and second overtime periods both went like the game previously had, with little offensive action. Neither team was able to muster up a goal to win the game, and the game continued to be back and forth; the ball rarely ever threatened the goals. The first period ended and both teams remained scoreless, the second period of overtime started and ended the same way.
With the score still tied after both overtime periods, Ohio and Longwood went into a shootout. This shootout would be what led to Ohio's victory, as back Anouk Palehn scored the game-winning goal to give Ohio the victory.
Ohio looks to build on the narrow win going into next weekend where it will return home Friday to attempt to win two games in a row.
