Jess Kodiak scores for third straight game

RICHMOND, Ky. – Junior Jess Kodiak scored a late equalizer for the Miami University women’s soccer team to force overtime, but host Eastern Kentucky notched the game-winning goal in the first overtime to top the RedHawks, 2-1, Sunday afternoon at EKU Soccer Field. It was just the second meeting between the two schools, as the Colonels (1-3-0) evened the all-time series with Miami (2-2-0) at 1-1 while earning their first victory of 2011.

The RedHawks pressured EKU early, putting a pair of shots on goal while earning a corner kick in the first 15 minutes, but goalkeeper Annie Wickett saved both attempts for the Colonels to keep the game scoreless. The two sides would head into halftime scoreless despite Miami outshooting EKU, 6-3, over the first 45 minutes. Wickett stopped all three shots the ‘Hawks put on target, however, but the Colonels were unable to put the ball on frame themselves.

Eastern Kentucky’s Devon Saini broke the deadlock with the first of her two goals on the day in the 65^th minute. Brittany Nomady passed to Saini, who beat Miami redshirt freshman goalkeeper Allison Norenberg (Palatine, Ill.) from the top of the penalty box with a blast to the upper right corner of the goal.

Kodiak (Naperville, Ill.) would then pull the RedHawks even at 1-1 in the 80^th minute with her third goal of the year, scoring in each of her last three matches, as she now has a point in all four games on the season. Kodiak was able to beat Wickett, unassisted, from 18 yards out with a laser that found the lower right corner of the net.

Regulation would end knotted at one apiece, forcing overtime. Less than four minutes into the first extra session, Saini again found the back of the net to give the Colonels the 2-1 victory on the first shot of overtime for either team. Lauren Fant led Saini toward goal with a strong pass and Saini beat Norenberg, who came off her line, to the ball, allowing her to slot the ball into the right corner of the goal.

“We made some critical errors defensively today that cost us. We need to get better there,” head coach Bobby Kramig said. “Offensively we are capable of much more than we are currently producing.”

The RedHawks outshot Eastern Kentucky, 11-8, for the match in defeat. Wickett ended with six saves, making three more in the second stanza, while Norenberg finished with two saves, both in the final 45 minutes. Both squads earned five corner kicks, including three each in the second half.

“We knew coming into the season that this was a young team and that it would take some time to sort things out,” Kramig said. “It’ll come and we’ll get better.”

The RedHawks are idle next weekend before returning home to host their own tournament Friday, Sep. 9 and Sunday, Sep. 11. Participating in the tournament is East Tennessee State, UT-Martin and Wright State. Miami faces UT-Martin Sep. 9 at 4:30 p.m. after ETSU and WSU square off earlier in the day. The ‘Hawks then take on ETSU Sep. 11 at 3 p.m., which will be Senior Day and will be preceded by a match between UT-Martin and Wright State.

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