Kent State University
Eastern Michigan
Flashes Vanquish Eagles, 2-1
10/24/2021 3:29:00 PM | Women's Soccer
(YPSILANTI, Mich.) - Sunday afternoon, the Kent State women's soccer team traveled to Eastern Michigan, defeating the Eagles, 2-1. This improved the Flashes' overall record to 11-4-2 and their record within the Mid-American Conference to 7-1-2.
In the second-to-last game of the regular season, Kent State found a way to keep pace in the race towards the MAC tournament, topping a 2-12-3 Eastern Michigan squad that has already been eliminated from contention. The Flashes reached victory off the legs of some familiar faces who've brought them success so many times this year: redshirt senior forward Cameron Shedenhelm, and redshirt senior defender Karly Hellstrom.
Shedenhelm picked up her team-high 10th goal of the season in the fifth minute, giving the Flashes an early lead and being assisted on the play by Hellstrom and freshman midfielder Siena Stambolich. Hellstrom would then go on to double Kent State's lead in the 51st minute, when she got an assist from freshman midfielder Alisa Arthur and put the ball in the back of the Eastern Michigan net.
The Eagles did find a way to grab a goal of their own about six minutes later, when sophomore midfielder/forward Amanda Cripps scored. But that would be the end of Eastern Michigan's goal-scoring, with the Flashes coming out on top, 2-1.
Kent State took 16 total shots in the game, including eight on-goal. This is compared to Eastern Michigan's shot totals, which were 12 and six, respectively. Kent State had five saves, while Eastern Michigan had six. The Eagles also had more than double the amount of corner kicks and fouls as the Flashes. Additionally, EMU was given one yellow card, while Kent State played a clean game on the card front.
Now, the Flashes await the results of the other games of the day to determine where they'll stand in regards to the MAC standings. Already having clinched a spot in the six-team conference tournament, Kent State is seeking to potentially clinch a first-round bye by finishing with one of the top two seeds.
The Ohio Bobcats are the only team standing in between Kent State and first place in the MAC. Coincidentally, the two sides will face off in the regular season finale on Thursday in Athens. That game is scheduled to kick off at 4 PM.
