Kent State University
11-4-3, 7-1-3
Ohio
11-4-3, 7-1-3
Flashes Tie With Ohio, Enter MAC Tourney as Three-Seed
10/28/2021 6:02:00 PM | Women's Soccer
(ATHENS, Ohio) - Thursday afternoon, the Kent State women's soccer team played its regular season finale on the road at Ohio, tying 0-0.
There were plenty of shots to go around, with the Flashes taking 17 and Ohio taking 24. But none seemed to reach their intended target, or were stopped along the way. Kent State led the game with eight saves, while Ohio finished with three. The Flashes also threatened in Bobcats territory, taking 14 corner kicks compared to eight for Ohio.
Both sides wanted the game so badly, with things getting somewhat testy at times. Kent State had more fouls than Ohio at 16-15, and they also had more yellow cards, 3-1. All four total cards occurred in the last 20-plus minutes of regulation, meaning that players were getting more and more desperate to find a way to take the lead.
That never happened in the initial 90 minutes for either side though, and it didn't occur in either of the two overtime periods either. This left Kent State and Ohio with a reluctant tie.
Heading into the game, the Flashes and Bobcats sat tied at the top of the conference standings with the same MAC record of 7-1-2. The winner of the game would be crowned the regular season champion of the MAC and earn home field advantage throughout the tournament. The loser would then find themselves with the second or third seed.
However, since this game ended in a 0-0 tie after going to double overtime, the fate of the two teams would be reliant upon the outcome of the Bowling Green-Toledo game. The Falcons sat just behind Kent State and Ohio when the day began, with their only chance of ending up with the first seed resting on the possibility of them winning their game in addition to a tie occurring in the Flashes-Bobcats match.
And unfortunately for both Ohio and Kent State, that's exactly what happened. The tie in their game occurred, as well as a Bowling Green victory over Toledo. This means that the Falcons have the number-one seed in the conference tournament, Ohio has the two-seed, and the Flashes wind up with the third seed. This is due to the fact that, although Ohio and Kent State still possess the same record, the Bobcats beat the Flashes in conference goal differential, giving them the higher seed by the slightest of margins. That is the only factor that separated Ohio, who gets a first round bye, and Kent State, who does not.
But praise is certainly in order for the Flashes, who end their season with a record of 11-4-3 overall and 7-1-3 in the MAC. No one knew what to expect of this bunch prior to the start of the year, but behind seasoned head coach Rob Marinaro and his staff, the Flashes have surpassed all outside expectations and find themselves hosting a conference tournament game, poised to make a run. Players like Cameron Shedenhelm, Karly Hellstrom, Tianna Harris, Siena Stambolich, Giulia Giovinazzi, Alisa Arthur, Dalaney Ranallo, Sarah Melén, and others each found their niche on this squad and executed on their assignments, doing their part to put the Flashes in this position. Each and every member of the team deserves an immense amount of credit.
But the story of this magical year is not yet complete. There is still a game to play, a game to win to earn the right to play another. When Toledo comes to Zoeller Field at Dix Stadium Sunday at 1 PM, they'll be entering a hostile environment. The Flashes, along with their devoted fans, will be ready to give them everything they've got.
