RedHawks score three goals in first 25 minutes, shut out Sycamores, 4-0

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Behind a three-goal outburst in the opening 25 minutes and a pair of goals from senior Jess Kodiak, the Miami University women’s soccer team dispatched of Indiana State Sunday afternoon with a 4-0 shut out at Memorial Stadium. The win marked the second straight year the RedHawks (6-2-0) defeated the Sycamores (4-5-1) while Miami finishes non-conference play a perfect 4-0-0 away from home, doing so for the first time since 1999.

After not finding the back of the net in 107 minutes in Friday’s double-overtime loss to IPFW, the RedHawks wasted little time scoring Sunday as freshman Haley Walter (Cincinnati, Ohio) tallied her fourth goal of the year just 5:21 into the match on a blast from the middle of the six-yard box. It was the first shot of the game for the ‘Hawks.

“Everything that was missing on Friday showed up today,” head coach Bobby Kramig said. “Our attitude and our commitment today was better and it showed in the box score and on the scoreboard.”

Miami doubled its lead just over six minutes later when Kodiak (Naperville, Ill.) notched her first goal of the day. Using a long pass from midfield, sophomore Olivia Evans (Dublin, Ohio) found Kodiak just inside the 18-yard box, where the captain fired a shot that beat ISU goalkeeper Erin Mitchell.

Miami continued to apply pressure and made it 3-0 in the 25^th minute on its second corner kick of the match as sophomore Kelsey Dinges (Smithton, Ill.) curled the ball off the corner kick into the far post for her fourth tally of the year. The RedHawks scored on three of their first four shots of the contest, including all three they put on target, while they finished with a 5-3 edge in shots over the first 45 minutes. The Sycamores did earn four corners in the final five minutes of the half after Miami took the first five of the match, but redshirt sophomore Allison Norenberg (Palatine, Ill.) denied ISU’s only attempt on target to keep the RedHawks up three at the break.

Kodiak recorded her second goal of the match in the 66^th minute, beating Mitchell on a breakaway to make it a 4-0 game. Walter picked up her team-leading fourth assist of the year on the play. Kodiak now has two multi-goal games this season and four in her career and has a team-high six goals in 2012.

“I felt like it was absolutely a leadership moment and I’m proud of the way she responded,” Kramig said of his captain, after Kodiak had an off game Friday. “That’s what great players do. Nobody’s great all the time but great players have the ability to bounce back and shrug it off to move forward to the next game. She showed a lot of poise, leadership and class today the way she approached this game and the way she performed.”

After making her second save of the afternoon, Norenberg was replaced by sophomore Danielle Wiseman (Canton, Ohio) with 20 minutes remaining in the game, giving Wiseman her first collegiate action. She made her first save just two minutes after entering, which was the only stop she needed to make the rest of the match as Wiseman closed out the 4-0 whitewash. Miami now has four shutouts in eight matches this season, already matching last year’s season total, with Norenberg recording two of them herself while also combining for the other two clean sheets.

“We accomplished a lot in the non-conference portion of the season,” Kramig said. “I think we have a very good idea of where each player fits in and what their role is on this team. I think all the players know their role, how we play and what they need to be doing out there on the field. In that regard, we’ve had a productive non-conference season. The trick now is to transfer that into MAC play, which is a whole other thing.“

The RedHawks finished with a 15-10 shot advantage, including 7-3 in shots on goal. Miami also earned nine corner kicks to Indiana State’s six during the 90 minutes. Mitchell ended with three saves in defeat for the Sycamores.

With non-conference play complete, the RedHawks begin Mid-American Conference action by hosting Akron Friday, Sept. 21 at 4 p.m. at Miami Soccer Field before welcoming Buffalo Sunday, Sept. 23 at 1 p.m.

--MURedHawks.com--