Oct. 22, 2004
Final Stats
AKRON, Ohio - Heading into its final two regular-season conference matches, Miami soccer's Mid-American Conference Tournament hopes hang in the balance as the team added one point to its cache at Akron on Friday night. The RedHawks and Zips played to a 0-0 tie, Miami's first double-blanking in just over a year.
With a key Marshall-Buffalo match later Friday night, Miami sits tied for seventh in the MAC standings with Northern Illinois at 14 points. The top eight teams make the conference tournament. One point behind that twosome is Bowling Green, a 2-1 winner over NIU this afternoon. Buffalo would join Northern Illinois at 13 points with a win. Miami has six available points against Central Michigan and Eastern Michigan over the next week, though the two schools to the north are both in the MAC's top five.
"We kept it going for the entire game tonight," said Miami head coach Bobby Kramig of his team despite the squad's inability to crack Akron keeper Meghan McCarthy, who had six saves. After scoring one goal in its last four conference contests, the Red and White continues to look to regain the offensive punch that allowed it to score 13 goals in its first six MAC matches.
The RedHawks outshot Akron 16-7 including a 12-2 margin in the second half. Miami also had eight corner kicks to Akron's two. Megan Ortner (Cincinnati, Ohio/St. Ursula) made four saves and enjoyed her third shutout of the season in 10 starts. On the offensive end, Ashley Swinehart (Worthington, Ohio/Worthington) had a game-high five shots, including three on goal.
The last time Miami and its opponent suffered mutual shutouts was on Oct. 10, 2003, against Kent State.
Miami's game against Central Michigan takes place Sunday at Miami Soccer Field at 1 p.m. The regular season finale, also at home, squares the RedHawks against Eastern Michigan on Friday, Oct. 29 for a 3 p.m. kickoff.
