UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. - Despite allowing their first score since Oct. 2, Ohio Dominican's women's soccer team grounded host Saginaw Valley State (Mich.) 2-1 on Friday afternoon at the SVSU Soccer Complex to move one step closer to the school's first conference title at the Division II level.

ODU improves to 9-6-2 on the year and holds a two-point lead over Ashland in the South Division standings at 7-4-2, while its seventh consecutive victory is one shy of matching the school record set in 2007 and 2008. The Cardinals fall to 6-8-2 on the year and 5-8-2 in the GLIAC with the loss.

The teams battled to a scoreless tie in the first half, but ODU came alive in the second as freshman Jordan Mazzi (Galena, OH) ignited the Panthers with her second score of the year inside the box off a pass from sophomore Megan Augusta (Lyndhurst, OH) at the 68:00 mark.

In the 83rd minute, junior Jennifer Holton (Johnstown, OH) notched the eventual game-winner for ODU as senior Sierra Patterson (Brecksville, OH), the Panthers all-time career assists leader, found Holton for her team-leading sixth score to the side net.

The Cardinals added a late score with 3:54 left to play to snap ODU's program record-tying shutout streak at six games as Emily Wheat headed in a cross from Charley Porter at the back post for the final tally. With three saves, freshman Laura Clark (Lapeer, MI) improved her season record to 9-5-2, but more impressively, with 671:44 minutes of consecutive shutout minutes throughout the last eight contests, moved into 24th all-time in the Division II record book for longest shutout streak by a goalkeeper. 

The Panthers will look to clinch the division title this Sunday, Oct. 30 as they take on Northwood (Mich.) in the season finale at 1 p.m. in Midland, Michigan. With a win or draw against the Timberwolves, ODU will earn the South Division crown and the No. 2 seed in the upcoming GLIAC tournament.

Contact: Bryan Desch
deschb@ohiodominican.edu