Kent State University
Youngstown State
Soccer Ready to Wrap Up Nonconference Schedule
9/7/2022 12:05:00 PM | Women's Soccer
KENT, Ohio – Kent State soccer will look to close out the nonconference portion of its schedule with a pair of strong results against intrastate foes this week, squaring off against Youngstown State at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 8, and Ohio State at 6 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 11.
Last Time Out
The Golden Flashes (0-3-2) are coming off a scoreless draw against Loyola on Sunday in Baltimore. The Flashes controlled pace for most of the match, attempting 16 shots (seven on goal) and nine corner kicks while the defense limited the Greyhound attack, holding Loyola to seven shots and only one on goal.
The Penguins
Youngstown State (1-4-1) is a veteran team, sporting 10 seniors returning from last season's squad. The Penguins dropped their first four games of the 2022 season before snapping the losing streak with a draw against St. Bonaventure and a win over Bucknell last week. After surrendering four goals in a losing effort against Loyola, the YSU defense has posted two consecutive shutouts.
This will be the 14th time that the Flashes and Penguins have met on the pitch. Youungstown State won the first meeting between the two back in 1997, but the Flashes have not lost to them since, winning twelve straight. Last year, Alisa Arthur scored the second goal of her freshman campaign to help lead Kent State to a 4-1 victory.
The Buckeyes
Ohio State (3-1-1) is coming off a scoreless draw against No.18 Texas A&M on Sunday. The Buckeyes' lone loss so far on the year came against BYU, when the now-sixth-ranked Cougars topped Ohio State 2-0 in Columbus.Â
The Buckeyes are led offensively by a trio of upperclassmen: senior Emma Sears, junior Peyton McNamara, and senior Kayla Fischer, a Kent native.  Fischer has netted 21 goals in her career, the 14th-most in program history, and her 59 career points are the 11th-most of any Buckeye in history. Sears has totaled three goals and one assist through to lead the Buckeyes through five games this season. On the back line, senior Talani Barnett and Sydney Jones anchor the defense. Both were named Big Ten Women's Soccer Players to Watch before the season began.Â
The Flashes are winless in six games against the Buckeyes, dropping five and drawing one. The two teams have not met since 2018, when Ohio State won a 3-0 contest in Columbus.
Follow the Flashes
For more information on the Kent State soccer team, follow Kent State Soccer on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, and visit kentstatesports.com for additional information.
