Miami University
University of Miami
Early Mistakes Cost RedHawks Against Hurricanes
8/25/2017 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Box Score | PDF Box Score | Photo Gallery 
OXFORD, Ohio - Despite a strong second half surge, a slow start proved costly for the Miami soccer team in its home opener against the University of Miami on Friday.
The Hurricanes (3-0) scored twice in the first 13 to keep the RedHawks (0-3) winless on the year.
A couple breakdowns led to Hurricane goals on their first two shots. In the fourth minute, Grace Rupp tapped a ball away from a defender and went in one-on-one with Patricia Koutoulas, where she beat MU's keeper in tight to make it 1-0.
The Red and White put together a solid run shortly after when Tara Walenczyk got a step on the defense, but was nudged off with a little contact in the box and allowed UM to clear. In the 13th minute, Ronnie Johnson won a footrace with Koutoulas to a through ball just outside the box and managed to catch her before she got back to her line to up the Hurricane lead to 2-0.
MU's best opportunity in the opening frame came in the 29th minute when Walenczyk got a foot on a loose ball 15 yards out, beating UM keeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce to the spot, but her shot trickled a hair wide of the post as the Hurricanes maintained a 2-0 lead at halftime.
Things picked up for the RedHawks in the second half in their attempt to catch up. MU was able to attempt nine shots and four corner kicks after only three and two, respectively, in the first half. Some quality chances were mixed in among those opportunities and the RedHawks nearly capitalized in the 74th minute when Chloe Knue was played through and had just the keeper to beat, but Tullis-Joyce came out to challenge and stopped her from in close to keep the score at 2-0.
In the waning minutes, the RedHawks were still pressing for offense and a corner kick service in the 83rd minute found the head of Katie Alexander, who redirected a dangerous shot to the cage that Tullis-Joyce managed to make a leaping save to keep MU off the board and secure the shutout.
The Hurricanes ended up with a 17-12 shot advantage with the RedHawks owning a 6-4 edge in corner kick attempts. Koutoulas stopped five of seven shots for MU Tullis-Joyce finished with seven saves for the Hurricanes.
Miami closes out the weekend against regional foe Wright State on Sunday. Opening kick is at 1 p.m.
