Box Score

PDF Box Score

TOLEDO, Ohio - A lethal counterattack game kept Toledo off balance early as the Miami soccer team posted a 3-1 road win on Sunday afternoon.

The RedHawks (7-4, 3-1 Mid-American) struck for three goals in the first 18:13 of the contest as they finished up their conference opening four-match road stretch by securing nine of a possible 12 points.

"This was one of the stranger games I have been part of in the Mid-American Conference," head coach Bobby Kramig said. "I'm pleased with how well we finished early in the game. We took advantage of every opportunity we had in the first half. Sometimes you have to take the game on the terms you are handed and we did what we needed to secure the results."

Toledo (4-9, 0-4 MAC) gathered possession and spent the first few minutes of the match running set pieces, attempting four shots and created a pair of corner kicks. Miami was there defensively to ward off the pressure. After weathering that storm, the RedHawks' counter attack got them on the board in the fourth minute when Haley Walter's shot was stopped by Nicole Jablonski, but Rachel Marble pounced on the keeper's bobble and put one into the back of the net for her third strike of the season to make it 1-0.

Another counterattack started by Walter made it 2-0 in the seventh minute as she tried to find Marble on a cross from the right side, but the ball caromed off a UT defender and into the net for an own goal that made it 2-0 MU. Walter started yet another counterattack as she was fed through by Shannon Stearns down the right side, where she beat Jablonski herself for her second goal of the season to put the Red and White on top 3-0 with just 18:13 gone by.

While the offensive outburst gave Miami plenty of breathing room, Toledo did maintain possession for large stretches of the half and finished with a 9-4 advantage in shots. A couple opportunities were particularly dangerous as Kiersten Johnson blasted a shot from 16 yards out at the left side a bit high and a free kick from 25 yards out by Isa Echeverri sailed just wide of the post, leaving it a three-goal Miami lead at halftime.

The RedHawks' large lead allowed them to substitute a little more freely in the second half and they made a point to get freshman Patricia Koutoulas some minutes in goal to spell Vic Maniaci. The Rockets continued to press on the attack as they desperately tried to avoid an 0-4 start to league play. All eight shots in the final 45 minutes were attempted by UT and it finally drew closer on a goal by Sophie Pohl in the 75th minute as Hannah Scafaria's play in deflected off a Miami defender right to Pohl at the right side of the six-yard box, where she didn't miss to make it a 3-1 contest.

Toledo continued pushing forward and took three more shots after Pohl's tally, but it was unable to break through for anything else on the scoreboard as the Red and White salvaged a weekend split of its two road contests.

"Getting three wins out of four-straight road games to start conference play is pretty good," Kramig said. "I think we are in a good position and I like what our kids are doing right now and we're looking forward to getting back home."

The Rockets ended up outshooting the RedHawks by a 17-4 count, but Maniaci stopped all three shots she faced in the first 60:38 before ceding the net to Koutoulas, turned away three of four shots in the final 29:22. Walter started all three of Miami's goals and ended the afternoon with a goal and an assist in the win.

Five of Miami's final seven matches of the regular season are at home, starting with a home date against rival Ohio on Friday at 4 p.m.