Ohio Wesleyan 0, Oberlin 0

Oct. 29, 2008

The Ohio Wesleyan women's soccer team ran into a hot goalkeeper on a chilly night, with Oberlin netminder Sara Grabinski stopping 16 shots as the Yeomen and Battling Bishops played to a scoreless tie in North Coast Athletic Conference action on Wednesday at Roy Rike Field.

The Ohio Wesleyan tie, combined with Wittenberg's loss to Denison on Wednesday night, puts the Bishops in position to take the No. 2 seed in the upcoming conference tournament. An Ohio Wesleyan win over Earlham on Saturday would give the Bishops a 5-1-2 record in conference play, leapfrogging them over Wittenberg, which finished its conference schedule with a 5-2-1 mark. The top 2 finishers in the conference standings will host tournament semifinal games on Wednesday, Nov. 5.

The Bishops had several good chances to score during the first half. Senior forward Michelle Corbett (Dublin/Scioto) intercepted a Yeowomen clear attempt and broke in on Grabinski, but the Yeowomen keeper came up with the save. Grabinski also denied sophomore back Carly Topper (Novi, Mich./Greenhills) at the left post after a Bishop corner kick, stopped a breakaway attempt by senior forward Allie Cozzone (Chagrin Falls/Kenston) and watched Corbett's shot sail just over the crossbar after crossing passes from Cozzone and freshman forward Makinzie Krebsbach (Vadnais Heights, Minn./Totino-Grace) set up an open look for Corbett on the 6.

Ohio Wesleyan had no better success during the second half, with Grabinski coming out near the top of the penalty area to smother a shot by Corbett on a breakaway, then getting some help from the left post on a Bishop breakway in the 83rd minute.

Oberlin came close to ending the game in the first minute of overtime, but Lois Immerman's header off a corner kick went over the crossbar.

The Bishops' best chance of the first extra session came in the 97th minute, when freshman midfielder Belle Madison (Charlevoix, Mich.) blasted a left-footed shot from the middle of the box only to see Grabinski come up with the save.

In the second overtime, it was Ohio Wesleyan with a chance to end the game in the first minute. Corbett ripped a shot that bounced off the crossbar, and the rebound went across to the left side of the field. Senior forward Megan Quinn (Hilliard/Columbus School for Girls) followed with a shot that hit the crossbar and caromed into the box, and Corbett got to the loose ball first but sent her follow shot wide.

Grabinski made a spectacular play in the 106th minute, with Quinn centering the ball from the left side into the box to freshman midfielder Jenny Howe (Newton, Mass./South), whose header appeared bound for the back of the net only to have Grabinski bat the ball over the crossbar.

Oberlin's Lori Sako got a glimpse at the Bishop goal during the 108th minute, but Ohio Wesleyan keeper Laura VanHoey (Rochester, Mich.) kept the game going with a save near the right post.

Ohio Wesleyan's final chance came in the closing seconds of the game. Quinn centered the ball to sophomore defender Hannah Sterling (Allison Park, Pa./Hampton), whose shot looked like the game-winner until Grabinski ran the ball down before it crossed the goal line.

Ohio Wesleyan outshot Oberlin, 44-8. VanHoey made 2 saves for Ohio Wesleyan, while Grabinski finished with 16 saves for the Yeowomen.

Box Score