ONU Wins at Wilmington

The Ohio Northern University Polar Bears traveled to OAC rival Wilmington College on Tuesday evening. The game was highly anticipated as both teams were aware that the winner would almost definitely secure a spot in the OAC Tournament the following week.

The game was exciting from start to finish.  Both teams got things going early, creating chances at goal.  ONU would break through from a free kick effort by Sophmore Kristina Klusek.  Junior Sami Atkinson found a pass at the edge of the penalty area, she beat her defender, and was taken down just outside the penalty area, awarding ONU a free kick.  Klusek bent her shot around the wall and just past the Quaker goal keeper to get the scoring started for the Polar Bears.  ONU would have several more close chances at the Wilmington goal, but the score would go into the half at 1-0. 

The Quakers wasted no time in the second half, putting the Polar Bears under some early pressure, creating a few corner kick opportunities.  The home team eventually struck as they served a ball into the box, but unfortunately  the cross was knocked in by an ONU player, tying the score at 1-1.  The Bears then started to get into a rhythm that made them so successful in the first half, and applied continued pressure on the Quaker defense and goal keeper.  The ONU offense started to break down the back line of the Quakers and created some very dangerous opportunities, two of them hitting the post and crossbar. 

In the final two minutes of play, the Polar Bears won a corner.  Junior Lauren Brown played a very dangerous ball into the box, it was cleared by the defense, and Brown then served another great ball into the penalty area, which found the head of Senior Captain Tara Tokar.  Tokar's header would hit the far post, as would Senior defender Lindsay Gilchrist's shot.  Then Sandra Thorarense would have a chance that would rattle the crossbar and eventually the ball would fall to Klusek, who laced in her shot off the bottom of the crossbar at 15 yards from goal, for the game winner.  ONU would do a great job of killing the remaining two minutes off, sending any dangerous balls in their half back behind the defensive line of the Quakers.

"This was a great win against a very feisty and determined team" said Head Coach Mark Batman.  "We can always count on this game being one of our toughest and most physical games of the OAC season.  Wilmington did a great job of putting our defenders under constant pressure, but our kids did extremely well playing out of their pressure and sticking to our style.  Our kids showed poise and composure in heated moments, and didn't allow the chaos to affect what they came to do, which was to get the result.  The girls worked their tails off for the win, and the support from the players on the touchline was fantastic.  Seeing them all congratulate each other after the game was over makes you realize how special this group really is.  We have one more test on Saturday, and then the OAC Tournament, which our girls are very excited about.  That is our focus, to win the OAC Tournament and make the NCAA's for the third time in four seasons."