PAINESVILLE, Ohio -- The Lake Erie women's soccer team hosted Ohio Dominican on Saturday for their first of two scheduled appearances against the Panthers this year. The teams tied 1-1 in what proved to be an extremely exciting finish, as both teams scored late and made aggressive last-minute final pushes.

Game Recap

The first period was generally reflective of the Storm's identity thus far: provide stellar defense with few but calculated offensive opportunities. The Panthers attempted 11 shots to Lake Erie's three, yet all three of the Storm's shots were on target, whereas only two shots from ODU needed to be saved by Storm goalkeeper Morgan Vanmeter. This bend but don't break mentality served Lake Erie well through the first period and midway through the second, until minute 72 when ODU was able to finally get one past the well-equipped defense. From there, the Storm played in desperation mode, greatly shifting their focus towards answering the call. Up until the goal, the Storm had only attempted one shot in the period... in the remaining 18 minutes, the Storm would fire off four. With just five minutes remaining, junior Ainsley MacKenzie rocketed a perfectly-placed shot past ODU's goalie, notching up the game at 1-1 apiece. She nearly scored again not even 90 seconds later, barely missing high. In the 87th minute, the Storm threatened once again, this time Alyvia Sanom shooting on target from close, only to be saved by the goalie. With roughly one minute left, the Panthers were able to get one last look at the goal but missed high. From the looks of a 0-0 dud, to a 1-0 loss, to a 1-1 final score, while a tie is not the ideal result, it sure felt good to see what the offense was capable of when it mattered most. 

The Matchup

Entering Saturday's game, the Storm found themselves on the bitter end of a 2-17 all-time record against ODU. The last win against the Panthers came in 2021 when the Storm rallied in double overtime to snatch a victory in the 100th minute. That win in 2021 ended a 12-game losing streak, and the tie on Saturday halted a 4-game losing skid. The Storm will look to tighten the series deficit when they visit ODU later this year on November 2nd in one of the final regular season games of the season. 

Looking Ahead

The Storm will be on the road for their next two games, visiting Walsh on October 3rd, and Cedarville on October 8th. They return home on Saturday, October 12th, when St. Thomas More comes to town.