Giovinazzi's Late Goal Seals Flashes Victory

Sunday, September 12

Rochester, Mich.

2:00 p.m.

Kent State University

4-2-0, 0-0-0

Oakland

1-7-0, 0-0-0

Kent St.

Oakland

Photo by: Sam Michael

Giovinazzi's Late Goal Seals Flashes Victory

9/12/2021 4:03:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

The Kent State women's soccer team took to the field once again on Sunday, defeating Oakland in thrilling fashion, 3-2. This puts Kent's record at 4-2 for the season.

Several Golden Flashes players made significant contributions to the ultimate victorious outcome of this game, but Kent State could not have won without the goal by sophomore midfielder Giulia Giovinazzi. In the 81st minute, Giovinazzi, the native of Whitby, Ontario, came up clutch for the Flashes, breaking the tie by scoring a goal, her first of the season. With less than 10 minutes to go, the Golden Grizzlies were unable to come back with so little time left, and Giovinazzi's goal served as a game-winner for Kent State.

But many key moments led to that storybook ending for the Flashes. It all started with a goal in the 18th minute by senior forward Khyla Porter, which put Kent State ahead, 1-0. Redshirt senior forward Cameron Shedenhelm picked up the assist.

That lead would not stand though, as a goal by Oakland's Ashley Postma right after play began for the second half, assisted by Sami Lopez, knotted the score up at one. The Golden Grizzlies would then take the lead in the 57th minute, when Lopez connected on a penalty kick.

However, Kent State fought its way back and found a way to tie the score at two, when senior defender Tianna Harris grabbed her first goal of the season in the 59th minute. That would be the last of the scoring until Giovinazzi's goal, which made the difference in the game and gave the Flashes the hard-earned road victory.

Kent State took plenty of shots against Oakland, including 10 shots-on-goal. That separated them from the Golden Grizzlies, who only took four shots-on-goal in their own right. Kent State also found itself in Oakland territory more often than Oakland did in theirs, as the Flashes had three more corner kicks than the Golden Grizzlies, 7-4.

But as the regular season continues, head coach Rob Marinaro's bunch still has areas in which it can improve, including in the foul department, of which they received 14 compared to Oakland's nine. Kent State also received two yellow cards in the match, whereas Oakland had none.

The Flashes will have another opportunity to improve in those facets of the game prior to the start of conference play next Sunday, when they take on West Virginia on the road. That game is set to begin at 1 P.M.