Ohio (7-1-4, 2-0-3 Mid-American Conference) traveled to face MAC opponent Akron (5-5-2, 0-5 MAC) after an extended week off. The game ended in a 3-1 victory for the Bobcats, who haven’t lost a game since they faced the fifth-ranked Spartans back in August.
At the beginning of the match, the Ohio offense established pressure on the Akron defense early. Ohio managed a shot and a corner kick in the fourth minute. In the fifth minute, Ohio defender Ella Deevers was found in the center of the Akron box on a pass inside from fellow defender Rayann Pruss, where Deevers found the back of the Akron net for an early 1-0 Ohio lead.
Both teams would begin trading shot and corner kick opportunities through the early first half. In the 28th minute, passes from midfielders Iro Fakinou and Hailey Jeng would find midfielder Rylee Mensel, who put a shot from the corner of the penalty box into the top of the Akron net to extend Ohio’s lead to 2-0.
After taking a commanding 2-0 lead, the Akron offense intensified its aggression. The Akron offense managed three shots in three minutes, but two went wide of the net, and the third found the hands of reliable Ohio goalkeeper Celeste Sloma.
However, in the 41st minute, an Akron corner kick led to Akron midfielder Eesha Suthershan finding midfielder Annie McMillien in front of the Ohio net, where she put a shot past the arm of Sloma to cut into Ohio’s lead and made it 2-1.
Before the end of the first half, Ohio made an aggressive offensive push against a tiring Akron defense. The late offensive push resulted in a foul by Akron midfielder Suthershan, awarding Ohio defender Lillian Weller a penalty shot opportunity in the 42nd minute, just 41 seconds after the Akron goal.
Weller put the penalty shot firmly into the back of the Akron net, extending Ohio’s lead at the end of the first half and returning momentum to the Bobcats entering the break.
Ohio diligently established a physical defensive presence against Akron when the second half commenced. In the match's second half, Akron’s offense attempted zero shots on the Ohio net. One corner kick in the 46th minute is the only offense Akron could manage against a stout defensive effort from the Bobcats. Sloma had to make zero saves in the second half as a barrage from Ohio defenders stifled any attempt or possession from Akron.
The Ohio offense managed six shots and one shot on goal in the second half. Still, the excellent defensive effort kept the score the same after an additional 45 minutes, and Ohio was victorious against Akron 3-1.
Ohio was led by Deevers, who tallied four shots, three shots on goal, and a goal in 59 minutes of play. Fakinou also recorded an assist in her first match back with Ohio after representing the Greece U19 National Team during the week in international friendly matches.
Ohio will return home to Chessa Field for a conference tilt against Eastern Michigan on Thursday at 4 p.m. with coverage airing on ESPN+.
