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OXFORD, Ohio - Junior Giselle Mangal scored a pair of goals, including the game-winner in the 81st minute, to send the Miami University women's soccer to its fourth straight win Sunday - a 3-2 victory over Evansville on Senior Day at Miami Soccer Field. The RedHawks (7-2-0) are now off to their best start since 2002 as the Purple Aces (2-6-1) served as Miami's final non-conference game of the season.

Evansville struck first as Breanna Beine gathered a bouncing ball inside the box and fired it top shelf over Miami senior keeper Rachelle Boff's head for a 1-0 lead in the 22nd minute.

The 'Hawks responded quickly, however, scoring two goals in a three minute stretch to grab the lead. Junior Courtney Clarke (Scarborough, Ont.) was the first RedHawk to find the back of the net in the 26th minute, as she headed home a corner kick in heavy traffic off the foot of fellow junior Sarah Dessfelt (Vellinge, Sweden), who picked up her third assist. The goal was Clarke's second of the year.

Less than three minutes later, Miami went ahead, 2-1, when Mangal (Mississauga, Ont.) blasted a shot from outside the penalty box that deflected off a Purple Ace defender and into the corner of the goal. The tally was Mangal's first as a RedHawk after transferring from Louisville this season.

"What we're asking Giselle to do is different than what she did at Louisville so it's going to take some time for her to get comfortable and get confidence in our system," head coach Bobby Kramig said. "I told her to run at it and be yourself and she seemed to grow in confidence as the game went on and it was a very timely, well-taken goal at the end (of the game) so I'm proud of her."

The Red and White looked to add to their advantage, peppering Evansville with shots, including several on goal, but UE goalkeeper Chaviel Harrison made six stops over the final 15 minutes of the period, including two diving efforts to rob freshman Dani Fraelick (Glenview, Ill.) late in the half, to keep the margin at one.

The RedHawks held a 14-4 edge in shots over the first 45 minutes, including 10 on goal, but Harrison had eight saves in the half to keep her team in the match. Miami also earned five corners to Evansville's two in the frame.

Miami came out firing in the second half, keeping play in the Evansville end, but was still unable to pad their cushion. Freshman Sam Whitmore (Cincinnati, Ohio) looked like she would add to the RedHawk lead but her shot careened off the post early in the second half while fellow freshman Kayla Zakrzewski (London, Ont.) suffered the same unlucky fate in the 68th minute when her shot also bounced off the right post.

Boff made a diving stop on Evansville's first shot of the second half to preserve Miami's lead but the Purple Aces knotted the game at two in the 73rd minute when Shayna Jones launched a rocket from 30 yards out that barely sailed over Boff's head, as Boff (Naples, Fla.) couldn't get enough of a hand on it to tip it over the crossbar.

Once again the RedHawks responded quickly to an Evansville goal, as sophomore Jess Kodiak (Naperville, Ill.) fed Mangal a through ball behind the defense that allowed Mangal to dribble around the keeper and put the ball into the empty net giving Miami back the lead at 3-2. Kodiak picked up her team-leading seventh assist on the play as the 'Hawks held off the Purple Aces the remainder of the match to earn the victory.

Miami out-shot Evansville 29-7 for the match and earned 12 corner kicks to UE's four. Mangal led the Red and White with seven shots, including three on goal. Harrison finished with 11 saves in net for the Purple Aces while Boff ended the day with two stops.

"The thing that I really liked about this game is that it was a good character test," Kramig said. "Sunday games are like this - it just slogs. You're tired after playing Friday, it's hard to concentrate, but we never lost our composure even after we gave up the lead, even when we got tied, so I think it's a great character reference that we were able to come up with the game-winner at the end."

Prior to the match, Miami's six seniors (Boff, Jessica and Rachel Byron, Brooke Livingston, Sara Lund, who did not play due to an injury, and Julie Thompson) were honored as part of the Senior Day festivities. It was also Miami Soccer's Alumni Weekend, as several alumni were also recognized at halftime of the match.

The RedHawks now turn their attention to Mid-American Conference play as Miami opens league play Friday, Sept. 24 against Kent State at 4 p.m. before hosting Buffalo Sunday, Sept. 26 at 1 p.m. with both matches taking place at Miami Soccer Field.

--MURedHawks.com--