Ohio soccer picks up first win in 4-0 win at NKU

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. — The Ohio soccer team (1-0-1) returned to action Tuesday night, taking on Northern Kentucky (0-2-0) on the road, with the Bobcats leaving victorious, 4-0.

Overall, Ohio outshot NKU, 19-5, with 10 shots on goal to the Norse’s two. NKU keepers recorded two saves, while Ohio took four corner kicks.

Individually, Jamison Brooker (Powell, Ohio) and Scout Murray (Chicago, Ill.) tied the lead for Ohio with two shots on goal each, and both with one goal, while Brooker also added an assist. Junior, Rayann Pruss (Perrysburg, Ohio) added another shot on goal, with one goal.

Junior, Maia Kaufman (Westerville, Ohi.) added one shot on goal, with one goal for the Bobcats. Lastly, Norah Roush (Dublin, Ohi.) had one shot on goal, while junior Ella Deevers (Streetsboro, Ohio) added an assist.

In net, junior Celeste Sloma (Columbus, Ohio) picked up the shutout, playing all 90 minutes, recording two saves.

Ohio opened up the game with a goal in the fifth minute by Pruss in the low center of the net with an assist by Deevers, putting Ohio up 1-0 early. The Bobcats and the Norse fought for possession over the next few minutes, but Ohio held a stronger offense, leading to an attempt on goal by Brooker which was saved by NKU goalie, Tristen Cross.

However, the Bobcats kept attacking on the Norse with Roush and Brooker registering back to back shots on goal, with Brooker’s attempt being blocked.

The Bobcats continued to show authority in the first half with majority of ball possession over the Norse, leading to a second goal in the 21st minute by Kaufman on the high left side of the net. Sending the game to a break with the Bobcats leading, 2-0.

At the break, Ohio outshot NKU, 8-2, with the Bobcats recording five shots on goal.

Ohio opened the second half on fire, which paid off early, and in the 47th minute, Murray placed the ball in the low center of the net, putting Ohio up 3-0 early in the half. The Bobcat offense gained control in the first portion of the second half, truly showing a synchronized rhythm that kept the Bobcats in the lead.

As the minutes passed, Murray recorded two attempts on goal, with the first on blocked and the second saved by the NKU keeper. The Norse tried to throw off the Bobcats with a shot on goal by Sofia Wilmes, but Sloma made the lower center save to keep the Bobcats in the lead. In the 55th minute, the Ohio pressure paid off when Brooker’s pass attempt connected with Murray, setting up her first goal of the season and putting Ohio ahead, 4-0.

NKU struggled over the coming minutes as Ohio continued to maintain possession over the Norse. NKU fought for possession approaching the 60-minute mark, but, Brooker struck back with another attempt on goal that was blocked.

NKU attempted a shot on goal but was saved again by Sloma. Approaching the last 20 minutes of the match, Roush shot for a low left kick towards the net, but was saved by NKU goalie, Megan Gessner. After some substitutions by the Norse, NKU continued to battle over the last minutes of the game, with the Bobcats keeping NKU off the board, securing the 4-0 win.

The Bobcats return to action Sunday, August, 25, when they head to East Lansing, Mich. to face off against Michigan State in an NCAA Tournament First Round Rematch. First touch is at 1 p.m. and can be seen on BTN+.