They earned their first winning record since 2009. They reached the Mid-American Conference semifinals for the first time since 2004, and they redeemed their loss to Kent State in the MAC tournament from 2017.
After the breakout year, however, the expectations for 2019 are among the highest in recent memory. The Bobcats (9-8-3, 6-3-2 MAC) finished fourth in the MAC in 2018, their best finish since 2006. As a result, Chessa Field hosted a tournament game for the first time since 2009, the last time the Bobcats had a winning record.
The MAC tournament quarterfinal game against the Golden Flashes stands out as the high point of the 2018 season. Ohio had dropped the final game of the regular season to Kent State a few days prior and hadn’t beat the Flashes since 2009.
The Bobcats came in with their backs against the wall, despite being the higher-ranked team. But they played a tough, physical game — a staple in the team’s playstyle — and pulled out a 2-1 victory to advance to the MAC Tournament semifinals and give the historic season a signature moment.
After a banner season for the program and coach Aaron Rodgers, who is entering his seventh year at the helm, Ohio looks to show it can continue the success and grow from last year.
Colin Mayr | FOR THE POST
Bobcat forward Bryce Hueber fights two Ball State defenders in an attempt to gain control of the ball in the closing stages of the tied game. (FILE)
The Bobcats seem to be set offensively. They return their four leading scorers from 2018 in Alivia Milesky, Sarina Dirrig, Sydney Leckie and Abby Townsend. The four all look to pick up where they left off last season.
Milesky, Leckie and Dirrig became offensive stars for Ohio following a 2017 season where they weren’t featured parts of the offense. In 2017, the trio only combined to score two goals, with Milesky scoring both of them. The following season, they scored a combined 14 goals for the Bobcats.
Townsend, meanwhile, found immediate success her freshman year and instantly became a focal point of the offense after scoring four goals and four assists. She will be looking to build off that success to continue being an offensive leader and to avoid a sophomore slump.
Ohio also has an influx of forwards and midfielders in its freshman class this season. Between the returning players and the addition of five freshmen into the rotation, Ohio’s ability to put up points looks to be its strongest in recent memory.
The Bobcats also have a favorable setup on defense. Sydney Malham returns for her junior year as a goalkeeper. In 15 games last year, Malham saved 64 goals and registered a save percentage of 82 percent. The top spot at the depth chart is hers to lose.
The biggest question mark for Ohio this season is at the defender positions. Ohio graduated four key players at the spot, including the ‘Secretary of Defense,’ Rianna Reese. Reese, Mandy Arnzen, Michelle Rockey and Maria Collica were all significant contributors on defense, and the Bobcats hope someone can fill those gaps in 2019.
The most likely candidates will be Olivia Sensky, Victoria Breeden and Morgan Collica, Maria’s sister. They all received time in the rotation in 2018 and will have another year of experience under their belt.
Ohio will also look to the group of players it brought in the offseason for significant contributions and look toward freshmen Heather McGuire and Ellie Fegurson to step in as defenders right away. Fergurson is originally from Ireland and joins transfer Konstantina Giannou, who hails from Greece, as the two overseas players on the Bobcat roster this season.
Giannou looks to be another offensive weapon in an already high-powered offense. In her two years at Ohio Valley University, Giannou became the school’s all-time leader with 24 goals.
Within the conference, the Bobcats’ biggest threat is Bowling Green. The Falcons were the top team in the MAC in 2018, having the best regular season record and winning the MAC tournament. They were also the team who knocked Ohio out of the tournament, winning a 1-0 contest in the semifinals.