Kodiak, Zakrzewski Tabbed All-Great Lakes Region

Pair of RedHawks named to third team by NSCAA

KANSAS CITY, Kan. – Two members of the Miami soccer team were named to the NSCAA All-Great Lakes Region Team, the National Soccer Coaches Association of America has announced, as junior Jess Kodiak and sophomore Kayla Zakrzewski were each recognized for their strong 2011 season.

Kodiak (Naperville, Ill.), a forward, and Zakrzewski (London, Ont.), a midfielder, both landed on the Division I All-Great Lakes Region Third Team. The duo is two of just six players to be named to any of the three teams from the Mid-American Conference with two also coming from Toledo and two from Central Michigan. Four of the six honorees from the MAC landed on the third team. It is the first all-region selection for both RedHawks and the first for Miami since Lindsay Dunmead in 2005.

Kodiak, a First-Team All-MAC selection this year, started all 18 games in 2011 while tying for second in the MAC with 22 points, which led Miami. She scored a career-high nine goals, which was tops in the conference, including four in league play, which tied for fourth in the MAC. Kodiak also tied for second on the team with four assists. She notched a pair of game-winning goals and also recorded the first two multi-goal games of her career, including Sept. 16 at Evansville, when she totaled a career-best six points. She was named MAC Offensive Player of the Week Oct. 24.

Zakrzewski, who is a two-time Second-Team All-MAC performer, was second on the team and tied for eighth in the MAC with 16 points. She started all 18 games while recording a career-best seven goals, which tied for sixth in the MAC. Zakrzewski also handed out a pair of assists on the year while scoring two of her goals in MAC play. She tied for the MAC lead with four game-winning goals, including both her goals in league play and the other two coming in her two multi-goal games in 2011, which were Aug. 19 vs. IUPUI and Sept. 18 vs. Indiana State. She was also selected Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-District following the season.

The Great Lakes Region consists of schools from the MAC, the Big Ten, the Horizon League and the Missouri Valley Conference. The All-Great Lakes Region teams are then voted on by the coaches that are members of the NSCAA.

Zakrzewski Tabbed Academic All-District

Sophomore midfielder carries a 3.41 GPA

OXFORD, Ohio – Miami University sophomore midfielder Kayla Zakrzewski was named to the 2011 Capital One/CoSIDA Women’s Soccer Academic All-District V Division I Third Team, the College Sports Information Directors of America announced Friday.

Zakrzewski (London, Ont.) is the sixth RedHawk player to earn Academic All-District honors in program history while she marks the third straight year at least one Miami player received the recognition. She carries a 3.41 grade-point average while majoring in sport studies.

On Thursday, Zakrzewski was named Second-Team All-Mid-American Conference for the second straight year. She was second on the team and tied for eighth in the MAC with 16 points while starting all 18 games in 2011. She recorded a career-best seven goals, which tied for sixth in the MAC, and also handed out a pair of assists on the year. Zakrzewski tied for the MAC lead with four game-winning goals and also recorded her first two career multi-goal games with two goals Aug. 19 vs. IUPUI and Sept. 18 vs. Indiana State.

To be eligible for the Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-District teams, student-athletes must have at least a 3.30 cumulative GPA, have participated in at least 50 percent of the team’s games and must have completed a full year at the academic institution. Zakrzewski was among 42 players to be named Academic All-District in District V, which includes Division I schools from the states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Michigan.

Trio of RedHawks Named All-MAC

Dolesh, Kodiak earn First-Team honors, Zakrzewski lands on Second Team

CLEVELAND –Three members of the Miami University women’s soccer team garnered All-Mid-American Conference honors, including a pair of first-teamers, the league office announced Thursday. Sophomore midfielder Katy Dolesh (South Euclid, Ohio) and junior forward Jess Kodiak (Naperville, Ill.) each received First-Team accolades while sophomore midfielder Kayla Zakrzewski (London, Ont.) was a Second-Team All-MAC recipient.

Central Michigan landed four players on the All-MAC First Team while Toledo had three selections and Miami and Western Michigan each had two. Akron had three players tabbed to the second team while the Rockets and Broncos each put two more players on the squad. Miami, Ball State, Bowling Green and Buffalo each had one member represented on the second team.

Dolesh, who received Second-Team All-MAC and All-MAC Freshman Team honors last year, started all 16 games she played. She tied for sixth in the MAC and second on the team with seven goals during the year, including four in league play, which tied for fourth in the MAC. She also added an assist for 15 points on the year, which was third on the team. Dolesh matched a career high with two goals Aug. 19 vs. IUPUI and earned MAC Offensive Player of the Week for her efforts, also picking up MAC Offensive Player of the Week Oct. 17 after scoring the game-winning goal in double overtime at Ohio.

Kodiak, who was an All-MAC Freshman Team selection in 2009, started all 18 games in 2011 while tying for second in the MAC with 22 points, which led Miami. She scored a career-high nine goals, which was tops in the conference, including four in league play, which tied for fourth in the MAC. Kodiak also tied for second on the team with four assists. She notched a pair of game-winning goals and also recorded the first two multi-goal games of her career, including Sept. 16 at Evansville, when she totaled a career-best six points. She was named MAC Offensive Player of the Week Oct. 24.

Zakrzewski, who like Dolesh earned Second-Team All-MAC and All-MAC Freshman Team accolades a year ago, was second on the team and tied for eighth in the MAC with 16 points. She started all 18 games while recording a career-best seven goals, which tied for sixth in the MAC. Zakrzewski also handed out a pair of assists on the year while scoring two of her goals in MAC play. She tied for the MAC lead with four game-winning goals, including both her goals in league play and the other two coming in her two multi-goal games in 2011, which were Aug. 19 vs. IUPUI and Sept. 18 vs. Indiana State.

Toledo’s Rachel MacLeod was named MAC Offensive Player of the Year while Central Michigan’s Liesel Toth earned MAC Defensive Player of the Year. Toledo head coach Brad Evans earned MAC Coach of the Year after leading the Rockets to the regular-season title while Eastern Michigan’s Angela Vultaggio received MAC Freshman of the Year.

All-MAC First Team
Claire Horton, Central Michigan, MF
Ashley Mejilla, Central Michigan, MF
Katy Dolesh, Miami, MF
Anina Cicerone, Western Michigan, MF
Jess Kodiak, Miami, F
Rachel MacLeod, Toledo, F
Stephanie Skowneski, Western Michigan, F
Bailey Brandon, Central Michigan, D
Liesel Toth, Central Michigan, D
Natalia Gaitan, Toledo, D
Vicki Traven, Toledo, GK

All-MAC Second Team
Jordan Clark, Akron, MF
Kayla Zakrzewski, Miami, MF
Alexis Tice, Toledo, MF
Nikki Rivera, Western Michigan, MF
Alyssa Zuccaro, Bowling Green, F
Aubrey Stahl, Buffalo, F
Kristen Lynn, Toledo, F
Amber Kern, Akron, D
Brigit Reder, Ball State, D
Kelsey Baskins, Western Michigan, D
Jeny Wolbert, Akron, GK

Miami Closes Season With 1-1 Draw

Filian tallies first-career goal as RedHawks tie with Bowling Green

Photo Gallery

OXFORD, Ohio — After surrendering a first-half goal, the Miami women’s soccer team rallied with freshman Amanda Filian’s first-career goal in the 65th minute but couldn’t get the game-winner as the RedHawks played to a 1-1 double-overtime tie with Bowling Green Thursday evening at the Miami Soccer Field in the season finale for both teams. With Akron’s overtime win over Ohio, also on Thursday, Miami (9-8-1, 4-6-1 Mid-American Conference) finishes the season ninth in the conference, just one spot out of the MAC Tournament.

The RedHawks outshot the Falcons (6-13-1, 3-7-1 MAC) by a 25-16 margin, including holding an 8-2 edge in overtime, but couldn’t get the final go-ahead goal as they hit four posts and Bowling Green goalkeeper Becca Ison made eight saves to preserve the draw. Miami redshirt freshman keeper Allison Norenberg made six saves, including two game-saving stops on point-blank shots in the final 20 minutes of regulation, to earn the tie.

“In the second half and the overtimes, I thought we had the better play,” head coach Bobby Kramig said. “We hit the frame four times, had a couple breakaways, it’s really the story of the season for us. A lot of missed chances. You certainly can’t fault the effort and really just a tremendous game played by both teams today. Huge effort, huge commitment, it just wasn’t quite enough for us today.”

The RedHawks best scoring-chance in the first half came in the 20th minute when freshman Kelsey Dinges struck a shot from inside the penalty box that hit the crossbar and bounced away.

The Falcons got on the scoreboard first as Kenzie Schlemitz’s shot from a sharp angle to Norenberg’s left beat the Miami keeper after a free kick from Emily Rothwell found its way behind the defense to put Bowling Green ahead 1-0 in the 25th minute.

The first half saw both teams with scoring chances, but both defenses held strong as Miami had a 10-7 advantage on the shot chart. Norenberg kept the deficit to just one goal with a diving save in the 40th minute, punching a shot up and over the goal at the last second.

The Red and White scored the equalizer in the 65th minute when senior Giselle Mangal beat a defender on the left side of the 18-yard box and sent a cross into the middle of the box. The ball hit a BGSU defender and bounced to Filian, who took control and buried a shot into the open side of the net.

Bowling Green created scoring chances over the final 20 minutes, including a breakaway by leading scorer Alyssa Zuccaro that Norenberg broke up with a diving save coming off her line. Just over three minutes later, the Miami keeper made another crucial save off a header from Tracy Togba from 10 yards out to keep the score knotted at 1-1.

The RedHawks narrowly missed a go-ahead goal with 14:20 remaining as sophomore Kayla Zakrzewski made a run past the Falcon defense, received a through-ball from freshman Hailey Pleshakov and just missed wide left of the goal on her shot. The match then headed to overtime level at one.

In extra time, Miami continued to pressure the Bowling Green defense with a flurry of action. In the final six minutes of the second overtime, Dinges hit another crossbar, sophomore Katy Dolesh sent a shot wide left, Zakrzewski had a shot saved by Ison and the RedHawks attempted two corner kicks, but the Falcons held on for the 1-1 draw.

With the tie, Miami misses the MAC Tournament for the first time since 2003. The senior class of Mangal, Haley Clark, Courtney Clarke (who missed the second half of the season with an injury), Krysti Clarke (who served as a student assistant coach this season) and Sarah Dessfelt wraps up its career with 40 wins.

“It’s always hard to say goodbye to your seniors and especially this group,” Kramig said. “They’ve been great role models for the younger players on the team, they’ve provided superb leadership for us and really there’s no replacing these kids.”

RedHawks Face BGSU with Tournament Berth at Stake

RedHawks host Bowling Green Thursday to wrap up regular season

OXFORD, Ohio – Playing to continue its 2011 season, the Miami University women’s soccer team entertains Bowling Green Thursday in the regular-season finale, needing a win to assure itself of a spot in the upcoming Mid-American Conference Tournament. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. at Miami Soccer Field.

The RedHawks (9-8-0, 4-6-0 MAC) currently hold the eighth and final spot in the MAC Tournament, which starts Sunday, Oct. 30, but are just one point ahead of Akron, two points ahead of Eastern Michigan and three ahead of the Falcons. A win would land Miami anywhere from the fifth to eighth seed, but the top four seeds have already been clinched, meaning the ‘Hawks would be on the road for the quarterfinals Sunday. A tie could get Miami in depending on other results while a loss would eliminate them as Bowling Green would then be tied and hold the tiebreaker with Miami.

Miami enters the BGSU match having won three of its last four games. After topping Ohio and Akron two weekends ago, the RedHawks downed Northern Illinois, 3-0, last Friday as redshirt freshman goalkeeper Allison Norenberg (Palatine, Ill.) pitched her fourth shutout of the year and second straight. Junior Jess Kodiak (Naperville, Ill.) tallied two goals in the match en route to earning MAC Offensive Player of the Week honors. Western Michigan ended the RedHawks’ three-game win streak on Sunday however, with a 2-0 defeat, despite Miami controlling much of the contest and outshooting WMU, 23-11.

With her two goals last weekend, Kodiak now leads the MAC in goals with nine and points with 22 while her 1.29 points per game is by far tops in the league. Four of her goals have come in league play, which ties for third, along with sophomore Katy Dolesh (South Euclid, Ohio). Dolesh has seven goals on the year overall, as does classmate Kayla Zakrzewski (London, Ont.), which ties for fifth in the MAC. Senior Giselle Mangal (Mississauga, Ont.) has four assists to lead the RedHawks, as does Kodiak and freshman Hailey Pleshakov (Brighton, Mich.), with all four of Mangal’s coming in league play, which ranks second.

As a team, Miami leads the MAC with 1.76 goals per game but are tied for fourth in conference action with 1.20 goals per game. On defense, the RedHawks have posted a 1.27 goals against average, which ranks sixth in the league, but rank eighth in MAC play with a 1.26 GAA. Norenberg has played every minute in net for Miami and sits eighth with her 1.27 GAA and 10th with a .732 save percentage.

Bowling Green (6-13-0, 3-6-0 MAC) comes to Oxford needing a win to have a chance at earning a MAC Tournament berth. The Falcons topped Northern Illinois 2-0 last Sunday but had dropped their previous four games by a combined score of 7-1. BGSU is averaging just 0.74 goals per game, which is second to last in the conference, while compiling a 1.62 GAA overall, which is 10th. In league play the Falcons are also 11th scoring 0.70 goals per game but are ninth with a 1.29 GAA. Alyssa Zuccaro leads BGSU with five goals and 10 points while Sarah VonderBrink has a team-best four assists. Becca Ison has seen most of the time in goal for the Falcons, posting a 1.66 GAA with a .754 save percentage, three clean sheets and a 5-12 record.

Miami is 10-7-0 all-time against Bowling Green, winning each of the last two meetings, including a 4-1 win in Oxford in 2009 and a 5-2 win in Bowling Green last year that clinched the East Division title. Prior to the two-game win streak however, the RedHawks had lost seven in a row to BGSU.

Miami students who attend the soccer game and sign in and sign out at the marketing table will be assured of a wristband for Thursday night’s hockey game, which can be claimed at the Goggin Ice Center ticket window.

Live stats will be available for Thursday’s game via Gametracker while the contest will also be streamed live on MURedHawks.com through the Miami All-Access subscription package.