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Much-improved Soccer falls to Lipscomb in OT thriller

panzecbj@miamioh.edu, @BenPanzeca

RedHawks Soccer battled back from a second-half deficit to force overtime against Lipscomb Sunday evening, but were unable to leave Nashville with a victory.

"This one definitely hurts because I think we had the momentum going into overtime," Head Coach Courtney Sirmans said to Miami Athletics. "I thought we played some great soccer at times that allowed us to get some good opportunities to go forward with numbers."

First-year coach Sirmans has implemented a new style of play in the young squad, and has preached the importance of possession in training and in matches.

It showed Sunday, as the Red & White held the ball for long stretches and were able to strike first. Freshman forward Lyda Bogdanovitch unleashed a 22-yard strike, finding the upper corner of the net in the 39th minute. It was her second goal of the year.

The lead lasted four minutes, as the Bisons' Redshirt sophomore forward Selah Gilmore tapped in a dangerous cross the RedHawks didn't clear.

After the halftime break, in the 51st minute, Lipscomb took the lead on a set piece.

Its lead held for most of the second half, until Miami's junior midfielder Olivia Winnett laid the ball to freshman midfielder Lauren Albrecht at the top of the box. Albrecht blasted it into the corner of the net for the equalizer and her first collegiate goal.

With the score still at 2-2 at the end of regulation, the teams went to extra time.

"I was extremely proud of the tremendous fight to get back into the game late in the second half," Sirmans said. "We gave up some goals that were all preventable."

Lipscomb rattled off three shots in eight minutes and finally ended the match in the 98th minute by way of a near-post shot from Redshirt junior Maycie McKay.

The Bisons ended the match with an 18-7 shot advantage over the 'Hawks.

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The loss snapped Miami's three-match unbeaten streak - a mark never reached in the 'Hawks 2017 campaign.

The success of the incoming freshman class under Sirmans has been impressive. Bogdanovitch leads the team with two goals on 12 shots. Freshman midfielder Jordan King has already tallied four assists on the season. Freshmen Chloe Masys, Kristina DeMarco and Albrecht have netted a goal a piece, as well - freshmen have scored five of the RedHawks' seven goals.

Miami looks to find strength in its freshmen as they finish non-conference play when they take on Xavier Sunday night. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. at the XU Soccer Complex.

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