Miami University
Winthrop University
RedHawks Snap Skid, Top Winthrop
9/10/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Sept. 10, 2010
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. - After dropping both matches last weekend, the Miami University women's soccer team opened play at the ETSU Soccer Invitational presented by DoubleTree Hotel in convincing fashion Friday evening, striking early and receiving strong goalkeeping to down Winthrop, 2-0, at East Tennessee State's Summers-Taylor Stadium. The match was the first ever between the RedHawks (4-2-0) and the Eagles (0-3-1).
For the fourth time in six matches this season, Miami found the back of the net within the first seven minutes as freshman Katy Dolesh (South Euclid, Ohio) got her head on the end of a corner kick from sophomore Jess Kodiak (Naperville, Ill.) and beat Winthrop's Sarah Schippers for an early 1-0 lead. The goal was Dolesh's second in as many games, after scoring her first collegiate goal last Sunday at DePaul.
The RedHawks kept the pressure on through the first 20 minutes until the Eagles fired three shots and earned a corner in a five-minute stretch, but redshirt freshman keeper Kris Gasparovic (Rochester, Mich.), making her first start for Miami, saved two of the shots and the defense kept Winthrop off the board.
In the 28th minute, Miami regained momentum, earning back-to-back corner kicks that proved unsuccessful, but less than two minutes later, Kodiak notched a tally of her own, making it a 2-0 contest in the 30th minute. Kodiak has registered at least one point in all six games this season and is now tied for the team lead with four goals and also has a team-high six assists, including her helper to Dolesh. Juniors Sarah Dessfelt (Vellinge, Sweden) and Courtney Clarke (Scarborough, Ont.) each earned assists on the goal, after setting up Kodiak with a through ball from Miami's end of the field.
"Kodiak is one of the most composed, skillful players we've ever had and she just finished that one off beautifully," head coach Bobby Kramig said. "We're playing her all over the field - up top, on the wing, in the midfield. She's been our go to kid, wherever we need some quality, that's where we put her."
Neither side would put a shot on target the remainder of the half, as the `Hawks went into the break up 2-0, despite being outshot, 7-6. Miami did hold a 4-1 edge in corner kicks in the opening 45 minutes, however.
Winthrop came out of halftime looking to gain ground, as Tricia Vensel put a shot on goal less than a minute into the period but Gasparovic was up to the task. The Eagles again had an opportunity to close within one after Miami was whistled for a foul in the penalty box, but Gasparovic stopped Courtney Durbin's penalty kick in the 61st minute to keep it a 2-0 contest.
The Eagles made a last attempt to get back in the game, ripping three shots in a four-minute stretch from the 75th minute to the 79th minute, but again the RedHawks held strong. Miami was able to generate some offense of its own in the closing minutes but neither side would score again, as the `Hawks closed out the 2-0 victory.
"The kids worked very hard and we got a couple of key plays when we needed them, including Kris Gasparovic saving a penalty kick," Kramig said. "She certainly deserves praise for her effort in this game."
Gasparovic picked up her first collegiate win and shutout after saving all five shots on goal by Winthrop while Schippers finished with a trio of saves in defeat. For the match, the Eagles held a slight, 13-12, advantage in shots with both sides putting five on target, but Miami earned four corner kicks to Winthrop's three. The RedHawks have now scored at least two goals in all six matches in 2010, something that hadn't been achieved since 1999.
"I saw some things in the midfield tonight that were better than in the past and our back line seems to have settled down from last weekend and anytime you can get a shutout it's a quality effort. I'm also pleased with the diversity in our offense," Kramig said. "We were missing a couple of key players tonight because of injuries. Sara Lund didn't even make the trip and Sam Whitmore didn't play so we were a little shorthanded but the kids we brought, they played some quality minutes and did the business for us and it was a good team effort."
Miami looks to continue its scoring streak and winning ways Sunday when it wraps up play at the ETSU Soccer Invitational by facing Temple at 1 p.m.
--MURedHawks.com--
