Miami University senior goalkeeper Allison Norenberg tries to make a save against the University of Louisville with help from her defense during Miami’s 3-2 overtime loss last Sunday. (Ryan Holtz | The Miami Student)
The Miami University soccer team (3-2-0) kicks off a three-game home stand with matches against the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (0-5-1) and Purdue University (3-2-1) this weekend.
Following a 3-2 overtime loss to the University of Louisville in which he thought his team "stopped playing" for long stretches, head coach Bobby Kramig stressed the need for the RedHawks to give their full effort from start to finish against Milwaukee and Purdue.
"I think we're set up to play a certain way, to do certain things, and we need to do those things and we need to do them for 90 minutes," Kramig said. "We can't have lapses. We have to play at a consistently higher level than we did against Louisville. We had some periods of time against Louisville where we were very good, but we didn't maintain those."
The 'Hawks beat Milwaukee last year 4-2 in a back and forth game amidst a torrential downpour of rain.
"We're trying not to bring [last year's result] into this too much," Kramig said. "It was a weird soccer game. I certainly don't expect a game like that, though I'll certainly hope for a similar result."
The Panthers, winless on the year, are averaging 1.33 goals per game while surrendering three per game. Junior forward Krissy Dorre, who has three goals and six points, leads the team.
"Milwaukee's a very talented team," Kramig said. "Very well coached, skillful side, they're comfortable on the ball. They have traditionally been a very good program and I would expect nothing less from them."
The RedHawks take on Purdue on Sunday, a Big Ten Conference opponent they have not faced in recent years. The key for Miami will be to slow down Purdue's Maddy Williams. The freshman forward leads the Boilermakers with six goals.
Sunday's match, the last home game before conference play begins, is also senior day for the RedHawks. The game will carry a special meaning for the seniors on the team, according to team captain and senior midfielder Katy Dolesh.
"It's going to be exciting I think," Dolesh said. "Trying to just reflect on the past couple of years and live up this last year as much as we can and put as much effort into the season as we can since it's our last one."
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Senior defender Sam Parrish said she is looking forward to senior day.
"It's definitely exciting, nerve-wracking," Parrish said. "I can't believe that my class, we're finally seniors. I think we're looking forward to it because we've never played Purdue before and they're a big school, Big Ten, and were really excited to show what we got and beat them."
Kramig had nothing but glowing praise for this year's senior class.
"They've been fantastic," Kramig said. "It's just been an absolutely phenomenal group and it's been a pleasure and a privilege to work with them. They have raised the level of this program since they've been here tremendously."
Kickoff for the match against Milwaukee is set for 4 p.m. Friday, and 1 p.m. Sunday against Purdue.
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