Cunningham Provides Overtime Game-Winner for Flashes

Sunday, October 10

Kalamazoo, Mich.

2:00 p.m.

Kent State University

8-4-1, 4-1-1

Western Michigan

3-10-0, 1-5-0

Team	1	2	3	Final F
Kent St.	0	2	1	3
Western Mich.	0	2	0	2

Photo by: Mallory Neil

Cunningham Provides Overtime Game-Winner for Flashes

10/10/2021 4:25:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

(KALAMAZOO, Mich) - The Kent State women's soccer team ventured to Western Michigan Sunday to take on the MAC foe, defeating the Broncos, 3-2 in overtime. Sophomore forward Callie Cunningham gave the Golden Flashes the victory in the 95th minute on a game-winning shot that was assisted by redshirt senior forward Cameron Shedenhelm and redshirt senior defender Karly Hellstrom.

In a game in which Kent State was outscored by Western Michigan, 16-6 (including 10-4 in shots-on-goal), the Flashes found a way to persevere and snatch victory from the grasp of the Broncos, who found a way to take an early lead and tie things up at two late, before Kent State ultimately prevailed in overtime.

The scoring did not begin until the second half of this one, when Western Michigan senior forward Morgan Otteson gave the Broncos the 1-0 lead less than a minute into the second half. But Kent State would respond shortly thereafter, evening the score at one when sophomore defender Dalaney Ranallo picked up the ball from a corner by Hellstrom to head it into the net.

In the 86th minute, it appeared that redshirt senior forward Cameron Shedenhelm's goal on another assist by Hellstrom (who got three assists in the game, only the seventh player to do so in Kent State history) would become a game-winner. However, Western Michigan wasn't ready to be silenced, and freshman midfielder Mary Dziuba tied the score up once more as the time left in regulation waned.

But then, five minutes into the additional period, Cunningham found a way to score her third goal of the season and propel the Flashes to an 8-4-1 record on the year.

Western Michigan, who arguably looked stronger than Kent for many portions of the game, couldn't quite pull away, leaving the Flashes opportunities to come back...which they took. Junior goalkeeper Sarah Melen did an excellent job of preventing the Broncos from doing such, as she made eight saves. Melen also got help on the defensive front from Cunningham and freshman defender Grace Barresi, who each made critical stops at pivotal points in the game.

Thanks to a great team effort against Western Michigan that resulted in a win, the Flashes have now moved into a tie for second place in the MAC standings with a 4-1-1 record within the conference. And with only five regular season games remaining on the schedule, head coach Rob Marinaro's team is poised to continue to put in that work. The next matchup for Flashes is a road contest at Miami. That game is scheduled to take place Thursday at 4 PM.