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RedHawks sweep tournament

Alex Butler, Senior Staff Writer

Head Coach Bobby Kramig is ready to come home.

The Miami University soccer team (5-2) swept the Eastern Tennessee State tournament with a pair of wins over Winthrop University (0-3-1) and Temple University (3-4) this weekend and will come back to Oxford for a six-game home stand following a seven-game road hiatus.

Sept. 12, the Red and White ousted the Owls of Temple with a 2-1 victory after whipping Winthrop 2-0 Sept. 10.

"It was a perfect weekend for us," Kramig said. "To go 2-0 and win the tournament is a very positive step forward for our team. We scored early in both games, which is almost becoming a little bit of a trademark."

It took just seven minutes for freshman Katy Dolesh to find net against the Eagles Sept. 10. Dolesh put a head on a cross from sophomore Jess Kodiak for the RedHawks' first score before Kodiak added one of her own 30 minutes in. Both teams were scoreless in the second half, and the clean sheet went to redshirt freshman Kris Gasparovic for a RedHawk victory.

"It's a good indication that our kids are excited to play and ready to play and are focused on the game to come out strong like that," Kramig said.

Kodiak and Dolesh struck again Sept. 12 when both added scores against Temple. Kodiak's kick proved to be insurance as it came in the 64th minute to give the Red and White a 2-0 advantage.

"I came out really hard and we were a little tight in our game Friday and practice Saturday, but we still came out really tough," Dolesh said. "You could tell they were a little flat at first, but we were able to pull through and score two goals and we did let up a goal but we still played very well."

Senior Rachelle Boff conceded just one goal to the Owls and enabled the RedHawks to come away victorious.

"The goal is to get better," Kramig said. "To always get better. That's what these games are for, to improve and to learn and prepare for conference play. I don't think we are ready for conference play yet, but I think we are getting closer. It's nice to win in a tournament and it was nice to be in the championship game with a team that had won both of their games as well. Temple was also undefeated and we were playing each other for the championship. It was good to see our team step up and rise to the occasion here."

The Red and White hopes to rise to the occasion at the home nest at 4 p.m. Sept. 17.

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