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RedHawks soar through opening MAC contests

Miami University sophomore midfielder Kelsey Dinges nails a header Sunday against the University at Buffalo. Dinges scored once versus the Bulls and is tied for second on the team with five goals this season.
Miami University sophomore midfielder Kelsey Dinges nails a header Sunday against the University at Buffalo. Dinges scored once versus the Bulls and is tied for second on the team with five goals this season.

Win Braswell, For The Miami Student

Miami University sophomore midfielder Kelsey Dinges nails a header Sunday against the University at Buffalo. Dinges scored once versus the Bulls and is tied for second on the team with five goals this season. (Miami Athletic Communications)

The Miami University soccer team (8-2, 2-0 Mid-American Conference (MAC)) opened conference play on a strong note, capping the weekend home stand with victories over the University of Akron and University at Buffalo.

The RedHawks displayed stifling defense and explosive offensive production in their pre-MAC slate of games, giving up only seven goals in eight games while scoring 23 goals.

The same execution carried over into Miami's MAC openers, as the Red and White beat the Zips 4-1 Friday and blanked Buffalo 2-0 Sunday.

"We have had a lot of successes, but we still knew these games would be dog fights," Head Coach Bobby Kramig said. "It's always important to win home games in the MAC. The competition we have coming up is tough, and playing on the road just adds to that. So, it's good to get the games at our place."

The 'Hawks faced two teams that have had their fair share of struggles this year.

Friday's game featured an Akron squad that had scored only nine goals though eight games and was blanked on the scoreboard twice. However, after a physical first half of play that the Miami coaching staff later said was the best first half the team had played all year, both teams went into the break knotted up at zero.

Miami responded by scoring three goals in a 13 minute period in the second half, similar to the 'Hawks' performance the previous week against Indiana State University where the team scored three goals within the game's first 25 minutes.

The first goal came in the 50th minute when freshman forward Katee Wensinger found junior midfielder Kayla Zakrzewski. Zakrzewski got off a resounding shot from the left side of the box that slowly rolled across the line, after Zips' redshirt sophomore goalie Alex Luevano-Harden got hand on the ball. Three minutes later, Wensigner and Zakrzewski traded roles when Zakrzewski crossed in a pass from the left end line to a wide-open Wensigner, who tapped in the shot from about a yard out. Zakrzewski then doubled up her goals in the 63rd minute, stealing a pass and striking goal from 18 yards out.

This was the second consecutive game Miami had a player record multiple goals, with senior captain Jess Kodiak scoring twice against Indiana State.

The RedHawks' final goal came in the 69th minute from an assist by sophomore defender Olivia Evans to junior forward Katy Dolesh, with Dolesh dribbling through three Akron defenders to put the game away 4-1.

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"I was a little nervous that my first goal wouldn't make it across the line," Zakrzewski said. "After I scored my first goal, I was definitely more confident and wanted to stay aggressive, pushing the tempo to put them on their heels."

Wensinger said the team's ability to execute the same things in games they work on in practice was key.

"The way I scored my goal off the cross was a good thing to see," Wensinger said. "When you spend a week working on crosses, it makes it that much better to see it translate onto the field on game day."

Miami welcomed the Buffalo Bulls 1 p.m. Sunday. The Bulls entered 2-6-1 overall after dropping their first MAC game to Ball State 2-1.

The 'Hawks came out of the gates aggressive on both ends of the field, especially on offense. Sophomore midfielder Kelsey Dinges recorded several early shots, including one just 58 seconds into the match, while Zakrzewski and freshman forward Haley Walter helped push the tempo, keeping consistent pressure on the Bulls' junior goalie Ainsley Wheldon.

"We stress the first 10 minutes," Dinges said. "We come out, play hard and we try to put away the first 10 minutes because it really can suck the life out of a team and make our jobs a little easier."

Miami took the lead 1-0 in the 25th minute on a goal by Walter with the shared assist by Kodiak and Dolesh. Walter's goal gives her five on the season, as she continues to provide a spark for this young RedHawk squad.

"I just wanted to keep doing what I've done all year," Walter said. "We do a good job as a team, feeding off each other's energy and taking advantage of chances to score. I'm just glad to be a part of that."

Dinges' early aggressiveness paid off in the 56th minute when she found the back of the net on a header from five yards.

Miami finished the game with a 10-shot advantage over Buffalo and a 12-2 corner kick advantage.

With the win, the 'Hawks surpassed their shutout total of four from last season in the team's first 10 games. Miami has also scored 29 goals in 10 games this year while giving up just eight.

Miami will now play two road games against MAC rivals with winning records. The Red and White face Ohio University 4 p.m. Friday and Kent State University 1 p.m. Sunday.

By Win Braswell For The Miami Student

For the second consecutive season the Miami University soccer team opens conference play with only two non-conference losses. Sitting at 6-2, the RedHawks take on the University of Akron (4-3) and the University at Buffalo (2-5-1) in a pair of home games Friday and Sunday.

Despite the team's success, the challenge for the rest of the regular season is to stay focused.

"Our focus now is to continue getting better at what we do," Head Coach Bobby Kramig said. "We don't need to change anything for any specific team at the moment, but we do need to play more consistently now. We need to be better with our shots on goal and get our defensive pressure started earlier. There isn't a Saturday morning that goes by where a coach doesn't get on a computer and see a [Mid-American Conference (MAC)] game that went to an underdog. So, we need to be on top of our game at all times, week in and week out."

Kramig said Miami's 3-0 victory over the Zips last season was one that shocked a lot of people.

"This conference is incredibly competitive," Kramig said. "I think our players know that every game will be a fight. I think our result last year at Akron had people see that a game can go either way. Everything in that game went right for us, but I don't put a lot of stock into that. It's a new year, and they have a new coach. In these kinds of situations, you don't know what strategies may have changed, but at the end of the day, it comes down to what we do and our effort."

Senior captain Jess Kodiak comes into this weekend following a two-goal performance against Indiana State University, a game where the RedHawks quickly overwhelmed the Sycamores, winning 4-0. This marked the fourth time in her collegiate career where Kodiak posted a multi-goal game. Kodiak said the team is in the right state of mind and refocused, knowing the daunting task of competing in conference play.

"As a team, we wanted to get back on track after losing to [Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW)]," Kodiak said. "Losses are only good if you learn from them. I think our focus as a team is in the perfect place heading into conference play. The only thing left to do is execute."

The Zips have not found their offensive rhythm under new head coach Vernon Croft. The Zips have yet to score 10 goals this season and have been shutout twice.

The Buffalo Bulls have struggled as well. The Bulls have been blanked on the scoreboard three times by a 1-0 score, and have scored only seven goals in the team's first eight games. Having matched its 2011 shutout total through eight games this season, Miami is poised to surpass that with the weekend slate.

"Our defense has more experience with another year under our belt," redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Allison Norenberg said. "Communication between the whole team has improved a lot, and the freshmen on our back line are a great addition to the team. I think we learned against IPFW not to lay off the defensive pressure. I feel really good about our chances to add to our season shutouts this weekend."

The RedHawks seem to have found a happy medium between veteran savvy and youthful explosiveness. One particular standout, freshman forward Haley Walter, has four goals this season along with four assists.

Her speed and energy have been critical in the team's success and will be an integral part of Miami's efforts during the conference schedule.

A swarming defensive effort with a continuing of its offensive dominance could prove to be the recipe for success in MAC play.

Through eight games, the 'Hawks have scored 23 goals, are ranked 13th nationally, and have only given up six goals. After missing the conference tournament last season, the RedHawks are looking to raise a few eyebrows.

Play kicks off 4 p.m. Friday and continues 1 p.m. Sunday.