The spring 2021 season isn't one where an NCAA Division II postseason berth is on the line.
Don't tell Ashland University's women's soccer team it doesn't matter, however. Games like Thursday (April 1) night's prove that this campaign certainly does.
In the second overtime on Thursday at Ferguson Field, junior forward/midfielder
Makenzie Kelly put a header in the back of the net, lifting the Eagles to a 2-1 home win over Michigan Tech. Ashland is 2-1 overall and in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, while the Huskies are 1-2-1, 1-2-1.
"It was one where we kind of had to dig ourselves out of a little bit of a hole," said Ashland head coach
Taylor Clarke. "It was a back-and-forth game, and it showed in the shots. That's part of their game. We knew we had to deal with it, and I think we did.
"I think it's a huge win. We wanted to make sure we ended some of those GLIAC opponents (series) with a win. It's momentum into the next one."
Kelly's tally a little more than a minute into the second OT came on a tic-tac-toe play from sophomore forward
Bailey Clark (her second assist of the game and third of the season) to senior forward
Rylie Howman (her first assist of 2021) to Kelly. It was Kelly's third goal in as many games this spring.
"It felt amazing," Kelly said. "We had a lot of success getting crosses in. We knew one was going to fall. It was definitely a team effort. Everyone got that goal for us.
"We're really just focusing on getting better as a team. We're looking forward to the conference tournament at the end of the season."
"It was on throughout the game, and we just didn't take advantage of the times we did it," Clarke said. "It was clear that was the way we were going to score."
Senior goalkeeper
Hannah Lee was a major factor in the Eagles pulling out the victory. Her save on a potential breakaway goal as time ran out in the first overtime set up the win mere minutes later. Lee made a career-high 16 saves on Thursday night.
"For me, it was making sure I was keeping my feet and making sure they didn't score," Lee said of the save to end the first OT. "All the credit goes to the team. We put in so much work, so to be able to come out with a win makes my heart happy."
"She did a phenomenal job of keeping composure, being locked in when we needed her to," Clarke said. "She was focused and ready every time she was called on."
Ashland initially got on the board in the 10
th minute, as junior forward/midfielder
Brianna Fourman potted her first goal of the young season off a deflected cross from Kelly. The assist was Kelly's first of the 2021 spring. Clark had the secondary assist on the goal.
Michigan Tech countered and tied the game in the 26
th minute, and the score would remain 1-1 until Kelly's game-winner. The Huskies out-shot the Eagles in the first 45 minutes, 17-5.
The Huskies outshot the Eagles in the game, 28-10.
Ashland will stay at home to take on another Upper Peninsula of Michigan GLIAC rival, Northern Michigan (3-1, 3-1), on Saturday (April 3) at 1 p.m.
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