Miami University
Wright State
RedHawk Rally Falls Short
8/27/2017 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
OXFORD, Ohio -- While the Miami soccer team broke through with a late goal, it proved too little, too late as it dropped a 2-1 decision to Wright State on Sunday afternoon.
The Raiders (2-2) scored a pair of second half goals and withstood a late surge by the RedHawks (0-4) to pull out the result.
After about eight minutes without a shot or a corner kick, Wright State got the first opportunities as a loose ball found Emily Rotterman for a shot in the middle that was blocked out of play. The ensuing corner kick also ended up with Rotterman set up from 15 yards out, but her attempt sailed wide of the post. At the other end, Miami nearly capitalized on a weird bounce as a service into the box took a high hop over WSU keeper Miranda Thomas, but Thomas managed to recover to corral the loose ball before it reached the goal line.
The RedHawks controlled possession for longer stretches than the Raiders in the opening 45 minutes, finishing with a 6-5 shot advantage and placing four of those attempts on goal. Chloe Knue had the team's best opportunity in the 26th minute when she won a footrace to a loose ball and got a flick of a shot off, but Thomas came out to challenge and knocked the ball aside. The teams ended the half as they began the contest, locked in a scoreless tie.
Play bogged down for the first 20 or so minutes of the second half as only one shot apiece was fired by both sides through 23 minutes on the pitch in that frame. Miami's bid was tricky as Olivia Winnett lofted a shot that new keeper Maddie Jewell had to make a leaping save at the line to keep the contest scoreless.
The first goal came out of seemingly nowhere as both teams were volleying in the Miami box and a Kayla Schrubb header from an acute angle 12 yards away caught the far post in the 69th minute to put WSU up 1-0. Trailing for the first time, the RedHawks pressed forward and attempted five of the next six shots, though Jewell made a couple of saves to hold them at bay.
A Miami miscue led to an indirect free kick atop MU's 18-yard box with 4:09 to play and Niki Romero received a quick drop and lofted a shot that caught the upper 90 to up Wright State's lead to 2-0 with 4:06 left. Desperate for offense, Winnett gathered a pass in the middle from 20 yards out before blasting a left-footed shot into the top of the net with 51 seconds remaining. Miami was able to get into the attacking third again, but it could not generate an opportunity for an equalizer.
The RedHawks finished with a 14-10 shot advantage while doubling up the Raiders (6-3) in corner kicks. Patricia Koutoulas made three saves in goal for the Red & White while Thomas made four first-half stops and Jewell added three more saves in the second half to pick up the victory.
Miami has a bit of an extended week to prepare for the final tilt of its three-match home stand as it hosts Illinois on Sunday at 1 p.m.
