Filian tallies first-career goal as RedHawks tie with Bowling Green

OXFORD, Ohio — After surrendering a first-half goal, the Miami women’s soccer team rallied with freshman Amanda Filian’s first-career goal in the 65th minute but couldn’t get the game-winner as the RedHawks played to a 1-1 double-overtime tie with Bowling Green Thursday evening at the Miami Soccer Field in the season finale for both teams. With Akron’s overtime win over Ohio, also on Thursday, Miami (9-8-1, 4-6-1 Mid-American Conference) finishes the season ninth in the conference, just one spot out of the MAC Tournament.

The RedHawks outshot the Falcons (6-13-1, 3-7-1 MAC) by a 25-16 margin, including holding an 8-2 edge in overtime, but couldn’t get the final go-ahead goal as they hit four posts and Bowling Green goalkeeper Becca Ison made eight saves to preserve the draw. Miami redshirt freshman keeper Allison Norenberg made six saves, including two game-saving stops on point-blank shots in the final 20 minutes of regulation, to earn the tie.

“In the second half and the overtimes, I thought we had the better play,” head coach Bobby Kramig said. “We hit the frame four times, had a couple breakaways, it’s really the story of the season for us. A lot of missed chances. You certainly can’t fault the effort and really just a tremendous game played by both teams today. Huge effort, huge commitment, it just wasn’t quite enough for us today.”

The RedHawks best scoring-chance in the first half came in the 20th minute when freshman Kelsey Dinges struck a shot from inside the penalty box that hit the crossbar and bounced away.

The Falcons got on the scoreboard first as Kenzie Schlemitz’s shot from a sharp angle to Norenberg’s left beat the Miami keeper after a free kick from Emily Rothwell found its way behind the defense to put Bowling Green ahead 1-0 in the 25th minute.

The first half saw both teams with scoring chances, but both defenses held strong as Miami had a 10-7 advantage on the shot chart. Norenberg kept the deficit to just one goal with a diving save in the 40th minute, punching a shot up and over the goal at the last second.

The Red and White scored the equalizer in the 65th minute when senior Giselle Mangal beat a defender on the left side of the 18-yard box and sent a cross into the middle of the box. The ball hit a BGSU defender and bounced to Filian, who took control and buried a shot into the open side of the net.

Bowling Green created scoring chances over the final 20 minutes, including a breakaway by leading scorer Alyssa Zuccaro that Norenberg broke up with a diving save coming off her line. Just over three minutes later, the Miami keeper made another crucial save off a header from Tracy Togba from 10 yards out to keep the score knotted at 1-1.

The RedHawks narrowly missed a go-ahead goal with 14:20 remaining as sophomore Kayla Zakrzewski made a run past the Falcon defense, received a through-ball from freshman Hailey Pleshakov and just missed wide left of the goal on her shot. The match then headed to overtime level at one.

In extra time, Miami continued to pressure the Bowling Green defense with a flurry of action. In the final six minutes of the second overtime, Dinges hit another crossbar, sophomore Katy Dolesh sent a shot wide left, Zakrzewski had a shot saved by Ison and the RedHawks attempted two corner kicks, but the Falcons held on for the 1-1 draw.

With the tie, Miami misses the MAC Tournament for the first time since 2003. The senior class of Mangal, Haley Clark, Courtney Clarke (who missed the second half of the season with an injury), Krysti Clarke (who served as a student assistant coach this season) and Sarah Dessfelt wraps up its career with 40 wins.

“It’s always hard to say goodbye to your seniors and especially this group,” Kramig said. “They’ve been great role models for the younger players on the team, they’ve provided superb leadership for us and really there’s no replacing these kids.”

--MURedHawks.com--