Sept. 27, 2002
Miami University soccer team kept their record unblemished in Mid-American Conference play after an emotional 3-2 victory over Ohio University. The game-winner by Danielle Berkemeier (Fairfield, OH/Fairfield) in the 67th minute in front of a spirited crowd of 564 on a soggy Miami Soccer Field, capped off the scoring for the RedHawks and brought their overall record to 7-1-1 and 5-0-0 in the MAC.
"Our kids thrive in big games and it showed," said head coach Bobby Kramig. "Because of our MAC and NCAA tournament experience, we are used to playing in big games and that helped us respond with a lot of emotion against Ohio."
The first and second-place teams battled back and fourth until senior Andrea Cunningham (Cincinnati, OH/McAuley) took a shot from beyond the right side of the penalty box to the upper near-post that eclipsed the outstretched arms of Bobcat goalkeeper Michelle Meglaughlin while the clock read 35:04.
After going into the half with a 1-0 lead and out shooting Ohio 10-2 in the first half, the Red and White came out and scored less than two minutes into the second half when senior Shaedyn Cousino (Cincinnati, OH/Indian Hill) headed the ball into the back of the net off of a corner kick by junior Danielle Altiero (Upper Arlington, OH/Upper Arlington).
Ohio, the 2001 MAC regular season champions, answered back two minutes later Carolyn Valade beat the defense before passing ahead to teammate Rachael Najjar for the breakaway goal past the charging Miami freshman goalkeeper, Leigh Terry (Grand Haven, MI/Grand Haven).
Berkemeier scored her team-leading sixth goal when she settled the ball before firing a shot past Meglaughlin off a cross from sophomore Ashley Swinehart (Worthington, OH/Worthington) while the clock read 67:30.
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The Bobcats closed it to a one-point game with less than nine minutes remaining, when forward Christel Schiering scored her league-leading 11th goal. Schiering started the sequence with a penalty kick that was denied by Terry. Schiering fired again at the freshman goalkeeper, only to be denied for the second time. Finally, Schiering bicycle kicked the ball into the goal off the second rebound.
"This was a wonderful advertisement for women's college soccer," said Kramig. "Both teams played their hearts out and it was no surpise to us that Ohio would come out and play tough."
Miami outshot Ohio 25-11 during the contest. Meglaughlin made 10 saves on the night and Terry stopped five Bobcat shots.
The goal by Najjar was the first goal that Miami goalkeepers had allowed in 554 minutes dating back to Sept. 6th when the RedHawks gave up a goal in the 54th minute against St. John's.
The RedHawks look to stay undefeated in the MAC on Sunday when the Buffalo Bulls come to town at 1 p.m for RedHawk Key Ring Day.
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