Nov. 1, 2015 Box Score
KENT, Ohio - Not this time.
After seeing its past two seasons come to an end during penalty kicks in the Mid-American Conference Tournament, the Miami soccer team exorcised its past demons by getting past Kent State in the MAC Tournament quarterfinals on Sunday.
The RedHawks (10-7-2) and Golden Flashes (11-6-3) played to a scoreless draw in 110 minutes of action and the Red and White advanced by winning the shootout, 5-3.
"This was a hard fought game by both teams," head coach
Bobby Kramig said. "There weren't many chances for either teams in this one. It was unfortunate we had to move this one to a football venue, but we persevered. There was a strong wind blowing down the field, whoever had it at their back had the better of the play in that period."
Possession was back and forth in the early going, but Kent State started to establish a little more time with the ball as the first half wore on. The Golden Flashes created three corner kicks in the first 21 minutes, though none of them generated much of a scoring threat.
Miami began to turn the tide in the final 20 minutes of the frame, creating numerous set pieces and getting more attempts directed at the goal. The RedHawks' best opportunity came in the 42nd minute when
Korrie Sauder launched a shot from outside the box that took a big hop towards the net, but Ashleah McDonald punched that clear to keep it scoreless at the half with Miami holding a 7-6 edge in shots.
The Red and White doubled the Golden Flashes up in second half shots (6-3), but neither team was able to find a scoring touch as they played their second overtime contest of the year against each other. KSU had the better of the play in the first overtime session, outshooting MU 4-1 while also holding a 4-0 edge in corner kick attempts. Miami's defense was equal to the task, however, as the contest wore on scoreless after 100 minutes.
With the contest wearing on, the teams played it pretty conservative defensively in the second overtime period. Only three shots were attempted between the two teams (2-1 Miami) as 110 minutes were not enough to decide the result.
Rachel Marble and
Lauren Kelly each converted their penalty kick attempts, but they were answered by strikes by Kent State's Madison Helterbran and Jenna Hellstrom in the first two rounds. A true shot by
Dana Miller put the Red and White back up 3-2 and
Vic Maniaci came through with a big save on Doni Capehart to open up a chance for Miami to advance.
Stephanie Dillon hit her mark in the fourth round, though Abbie Lawson kept the Golden Flashes alive with a goal of her own in round four. With a semifinal bid on the line, the RedHawks called on senior
Katie Mazurek, who did not log a minute of game action, but was ready to go off the bench as she drilled her shot to give the RedHawks their first penalty kick victory in program history.
"We worked all spring on improving on penalty kicks," Kramig said. "We were fine with it getting to PKs and we knew we were prepared.
Rachel Marble went up and drilled the first one home and that was it. Vic made a big save when we needed her to and everyone followed up and put their shots away."
Miami enjoyed a narrow 16-14 advantage in shots with Maniaci making four saves for her career-high ninth shutout of the season while McDonald countered with five saves for a clean sheet of her own.
The MAC Tournament now moves to Kalamazoo, Mich., as second-seeded Western Michigan is the highest remaining seed after Sunday's quarterfinal matchups. Miami will take on eighth-seeded Akron in Friday's semifinal match. Kickoff time is still to be determined.
