OXFORD, Ohio – On her birthday,
Izzie Vaccari gave a gift of her own in Miami soccer's Mid-American Conference opener.
Vaccari made a career-high 14 saves while the RedHawks (2-6, 1-0 MAC) buried a season-high three goals to top Eastern Michigan 3-1 on Friday.
In a wide open first half that saw a combined 19 shot attempts, it was Miami that drew first blood in the 10th minute.
Bronwen Sears fed
Emily Sexton into the box and her hustle kept play alive for a cross that was fumbled by Mabel Dunn. With the ball loose in traffic,
Lyda Bogdanovitch got her left foot on it and knocked it home to put MU on top by a 1-0 count.
The Eagles (1-6-2, 0-1 MAC) threatened at a number of points in the first half with Parys Kerr getting two up close looks.
Izzie Vaccari made a point blank save and the rebound was fired high to keep the Red & White in front.
With just over 10 minutes left to play in the half, Sexton nearly got one on the board as she came in towards the net in the middle, but Dunn knocked aside her bid. EMU ultimately finished the half with a 13-6 shot advantage, but MU had the lead at the break for the first time this season.
Both teams came out firing in the second half with each taking long distance bids that the goalkeepers smothered. Miami started getting established in the attacking third with about 27 minutes left, beginning with a
Soph Spinell bid that went just above the cross bar. An ensuing corner kick led to a pair of close-range bids, one that was blocked and another that Dunn kept out of the net to leave it a one-score contest.
Breathing room came for the Red & White in the 79th minute after
Olivia Winnett played Sears in on the left side to leave her one-on-one with the keeper. While Dunn stopped Sears from the left side, Winnett followed the play up and put the rebound home for her second tally of the season to give the RedHawks a 2-0 lead.
The Eagles would not go away, however, as they converted off a set piece just over a minute later. Vaccari made an acrobatic save on Aubrey Martin's header off a free kick, but Tessa Osborne fired in the rebound to cut the Miami lead to 2-1 with 10:41 left.
Miami would not be denied, however, as
Soph Spinell got a step down the right side, dribbled into the box and drilled a left-footed shot into the upper 90 at the far post to build the gap back to 3-1 with just over seven minutes to play, capping the scoring.
The Eagles finished with a 28-15 shot advantage and a 4-2 spread in corner kicks. However, Vaccari made a career-high 14 saves to pick up the win for the Red & White.
Miami wraps up its three-match home stand on Sunday when it takes on Central Michigan. Opening kick is at 1 p.m.
