BC Women Defeat Ohio State, 1-0

September 6, 2013

Sophomore McKenzie Meehan scored the only goal of the match in the 80th minute to lead the Boston College women's soccer team to a 1-0 win over No. 21 Ohio State on Thursday night in front of 657 fans at the Newton Soccer Field.

It was Meehan's fifth goal of the season and her fourth career game-winning goal. Junior Alex Johnson earned her first career start in goal for the Eagles. A native of Wellesley, Mass., Johnson had four saves and recorded her first career shutout.

"That was a huge win for us tonight,'' said Eagles head coach Alison Foley. "OSU is a great team and riding an unbeaten streak with momentum. It was important for us to beat a Top 20 team before we start ACC play.''

Boston College is now 3-2-0 and will play at Pittsburgh on Thursday, September 12. Ohio State is now 3-1-1 and will play at Northeastern on Sunday, Sept. 8.

From the start the action was up and down the field. Eagles' sophomore Jana Jeffrey had an early attempt from 24 yards. Her shot sailed high over the crossbar. Five minutes later defender Lauren Bernard made a run up the left sideline. Stephanie McCaffrey sent Bernard into the box, but the shot just went wide left at the 29 minute mark.

Ohio State had a great chance at the 17 minute mark when Ellyn Gruber was in front alone and tucked the ball by a diving BC defender. The goal was nullified on an offside call on the Buckeyes.

The best chance for the Eagles in the first half came when freshman Hayley Dowd ripped a quick shot from just outside the box. OSU's goalkeeper Rachel Middleman (two saves) made a big saves to keep the game knotted at 0-0 at the half. Boston College seemed to control the second half. BC had eight shots in the half, while holding OSU to just one.

The Eagles best chance came off a great individual effort from McCaffrey up the sideline. Her cross landed on the foot of Rachel Davitt. She could not get enough power on the one-time and the shot just went wide of the near post in the 55th minute of play.

The winning goal came when BC earned a corner kick off a solid defensive play by Davitt. Sophomore Jana Jeffrey sent a hard kick into the box and Meehan directed the shot off her head and into the low far post for the lead with 10 minutes left in the match past OSU goalkeeper Jillian McVicker, who entered the game at the half. She finished with four saves.

BC held a 14-4 edge in shots taken and had seven corners to just two for the Buckeyes.

McCaffrey and Jeffrey led Boston College offensively with three shots apiece, while Meehan, Davitt and Dowd had two shots each.