The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
Kent State
Hughes Scores Twice, but Women's Soccer Edged by Kent State, 3-2 in Double Overtime
October 07 | Women's Soccer
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AKRON, Ohio – Senior forward Ashley Hughes continued her scoring streak with two more goals, but the University of Akron women's soccer team fell to Kent State, 3-2 in double overtime, in a Mid-American Conference match Sunday afternoon at FirstEnergy Stadium – Cub Cadet Field. The Golden Flashes rallied from a 2-1 deficit and won the game on Morgan Mah's goal in the 103rd minute.
The game was part of the PNC Wagon Wheel Challenge, a year-long all-sport competition between Kent State and Akron. With the win, Kent State earned one point towards its season total. Kent State currently leads the competition, 1-0.5. The Akron volleyball team earned 0.5 points with their sweep over KSU last night in the first of two match-ups between the two squads this year.
Kent State improved to 8-3-2 overall and 3-2-1 in the MAC with the victory. The Zips fell to 4-9-0, 0-6-0 in the MAC.
UA got on the board early as Hughes found the back of the net at the 4:49 mark on the first shot of the game. Junior midfielder Kelly DeNiro found Hughes on the left side of the field, where she turned and dribbled at the Kent State defense. Hughes then cut inside at the top of the 18 and fired a right-footed shot into the goal to give Akron a 1-0 lead.
Kent nearly answered in the seventh minute as Sara Henderson got on the end of a cross on the far post, but her shot went wide.
After a Hughes cross just missed finding the head of junior midfielder Maggie Rusnak, the Golden Flashes' Jessacca Gironda hit the crossbar with a shot in the 27th minute.
Hughes again sent in a nice service into the box in the 40th minute, but junior midfielder Rachel Dennis' shot went over the crossbar and the game remained 1-0 Akron heading into halftime.
Kent State came out on the attack early in the second half and the Golden Flashes scored the equalizer at 58:02 when Jaclyn Dutton controlled a cross near the top of the box and finished into the left side of the goal.
Akron responded with a goal of their own under 10 minutes later as Hughes and senior midfielder Katie Wise connected on a nice combination play and Wise was taken down in the box. The referee pointed to the spot and Hughes converted the penalty kick at 67:14, beating Kent State goalkeeper Stephanie Senn to her left for her team leading seventh goal of the season. It was Hughes' fourth goal in the last three games.
The Golden Flashes would press numbers forward over the final 20 minutes as Gironda's header in the 77th went over the bar.
Following a KSU corner in the 83rd minute, the Zips defense blocked a dangerous close range shot by Dutton. With four minutes remaining in regulation, sophomore defender Brianna Kanz made a great defensive save off the goal line on a shot from Madison Helterbran and UA redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Alex Luevano-Harden was their to pounce on the rebound.
But with just 51 seconds remaining, a Kent State player went down near Akron's six-yard box and the referee awarded the Golden Flashes a penalty kick. Dutton converted it for KSU, sending the match into overtime tied at 2-2.
In the first overtime, Wise created her own chance in the 97th minute as she dribbled into the left side Kent State box, but her low right footed shot stayed wide of the far post.
Then at 102:37, Kent State's Mah scored the golden goal as she hit a one-time strike off an Akron clear from 23 yards in the center of the park.
In goal, Luevano-Harden played the entire game for Akron and made five saves.
The Zips will be back in action next weekend on the road as they travel to Central Michigan Friday for a 4 p.m. kickoff and Bowling Green Sunday for a 1 p.m. start.
Zips Notebook: The match was Akron's first overtime game of the year … Hughes continues to move up the UA record books in several offensive categories … she now ranks fourth all-time in career scoring with 28 points (12 goals, four assists) … her 12 career goals ranks tied for fourth … Hughes' single season point total of 17 (7g, 3a) and her seven goals both rank tied for fourth in single season scoring … DeNiro's assist put her into a tie for third all-time with 10 career helpers … she is just one short of matching the school record of 11 held by Jeannie Stuckey (2001-03) and Jordan Baranowski (2007-10).
