RedHawks Strike Twice to Topple Purple Aces

Sunday, September 2

Oxford, Ohio

1:00 p.m. ET

Miami University

2-2-1

Evansville

2-4

Evansville

Miami

RedHawks Strike Twice to Topple Purple Aces

9/2/2018 4:20:00 PM | Women's Soccer

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Miami scored two goals 47 seconds apart to pull off a second-half comeback over Evansville.

OXFORD, Ohio – Lydia Brosnahan and Kristina DeMarco scored 47 seconds apart to lift the Miami soccer team to a 2-1 comeback victory over Evansville on Sunday afternoon.

The RedHawks (2-2-1) extend their unbeaten streak to three games after posting their second-straight victory.

Early possession favored the Red & White, but a second minute miscue near the MU net left Montana Potenier with a wide-open net to tap the ball into and give the Purple Aces (2-4) a 1-0 lead.

The RedHawks poured on shots and had several dangerous chances in the early going. Lyda Bogdanovitch flicked a corner kick service a bit high in the 11th minute, Bianca Medancic was a hair late on a footrace to a loose ball with the keeper, which drove her wide without an angle to the net and an early Chloe Masys header went just over the net. Miami had decided advantages in both shots (8-3) and corner kicks (5-1) in the first half, but went to the break still trailing by a goal.

Miami kept the heat on and struck like lightning with two goals 47 seconds apart in the 51st minute of play. A corner kick service by Jordan King was perfectly placed to the waiting head of Brosnahan and the redirect took a high hop and went in to tie the score up. In the blink of an eye, Miami took the lead by forcing an Evansville turnover that set up Soph Spinell for a run to the right flank. The sophomore broke down her mark and played another well-placed cross to a cutting DeMarco, who headed home her first collegiate goal from point blank range to put the RedHawks in front 2-1.

"I challenged the team to put back to back good performances together," head coach Courtney Sirmans said. "Sundays are hard because you played a game a couple days ago and they aren't pretty. Winning on Sunday is all about grit. We created a lot of opportunities in the first half, but didn't bury them. In the second half, we put them away and were able to put Evansville on their heels and take control of the game."

Trailing for the first time, the Purple Aces mounted their most sustained attack of the day and outshot the RedHawks by a 10-6 margin. Patricia Koutoulas made three stops during the half and Miami got a few more set piece opportunities as the contest wore on. Brosnahan got a clean header on another corner kick in the 79th minute, but the bid went over the net. King also nearly gave MU some insurance in the 87th minute when she hammered a service from a sharp angle into the box that eluded UE keeper Michaela Till, but rang off the post and stayed out. The lack of breathing room didn't end up mattering as Miami managed to salt away the remaining few minutes by keeping the ball in the attacking third to pull off the win.

The RedHawks finished the afternoon with a 14-13 shot advantage and a 9-5 lead in corner kicks. Koutoulas made all three of her saves in the second half to pick up her second-straight win while Till stopped three of the five shots that came her way.

Miami is on the road for the rest of its non-conference slate and is back in action on Sunday when it takes on Lipscomb. Opening kick is at 2 p.m. ET.