Flashes drop to .500 in conference play

The Kent State soccer team fell to Eastern Michigan yesterday 1-0 for its second shutout of the weekend.

Kent State (6-5, 2-2) was held scoreless over the weekend with a 3-0 loss to Central Michigan (9-3, 4-0) Friday and a 1-0 loss to Eastern Michigan (6-2-4, 2-0-2) yesterday.

“Playing at Central Michigan and Eastern Michigan is a difficult road trip,” Kent State coach Rob Marinaro said. “To be sitting 2-2 is very positive after the first four games.”

Yesterday, the Flashes’ contest against the Eagles was one with plenty of scoring chances. Kent State pressured Eastern Michigan regularly, outshooting the opposition 9-3.

In the 61st minute, Eastern Michigan scored its lone goal of the game when sophomore forward Chelsea Detrick crossed a defender and beat sophomore goalkeeper Kelly Sherwood to the far right post. The goal was Detrick’s fourth of the season.

The Flashes came inches from tying the game just minutes later when sophomore midfielder Gabi Ingram gathered the ball and pushed toward Eastern Michigan’s offensive third. The sophomore fired a shot that rang off the goal post.

Missed opportunities continued to hinder the Flashes. In the 77th minute, sophomore forward Annie Messer also hit the post from close range.

Eagles’ junior goalkeeper Monique Budani made nine saves on her way to the shutout, Budani’s third on the season.

“We had a lot of chances, and we should have been able to get some through,” Ingram said. “We’ve got to capitalize on our chances in the future.”

Friday’s game was the battle of the two Mid-American Conference undefeated teams. Kent State and Central Michigan went into the game tied for the conference lead with records of 2-0 in conference play.

The Chippewas came into the contest ranked 10th in the Great Lakes region, but Marinaro said the team tried to ignore the rank of its opponent.

“As a team, we didn’t put emphasis on that coming into the game,” Marinaro said. “We saw it as a challenge to step up to, but we didn’t step up. We will continue to learn and move forward.”

Central Michigan challenged the Kent State defense throughout the first half, taking seven shots and receiving four corner kicks.

The Chippewas took the 1-0 lead when senior midfielder Stephanie Martin scored on a free kick from the right side of the attacking box into the top of the net.

“Against a team like Central Michigan, you can’t have a ‘tale of two halves’ because they will beat you,” Marinaro said. “They took it to us in the first half, and that’s all they need.”

The Flashes pressured the Chippewas at the start of the second half, but Central Michigan increased its lead to 2-0 when junior midfielder Valerie Prause’s pass found freshman midfielder Laura Twidle for a one-on-one with Sherwood in the 51st minute. The freshman’s shot found its way past Sherwood for the goal.

Central Michigan freshman forward Autumn Hawkins added a goal in the 81st minute, which sealed the game for the Chippewas.

Ingram said the losses over the weekend will only motivate the team as it moves forward.

“It will make us hungrier for a win, definitely. We are capable of getting wins if we keep our heads up and stay positive,” Ingram said. “As long as we do that and have a good mentality going into practice this week, I think we will be successful.”

The Flashes will look to rebound next weekend when they host Northern Illinois (4-5-2, 0-1-2) Friday and Western Michigan (5-4-1, 2-1)Sunday.

Contact sports reporter Lance Lysowski at [email protected]