Women's Soccer Earns First Win of Season Behind Waller's Brace

(Howell, MI)-- After a pair of defeats to start the season, the Cleary Cougar women's soccer team bounced back in a big way Friday evening, as they defeated the Cincinnati-Clermont Cougars 2-1 at Lake Trust Stadium.

UC-Clermont fired off the game's first two shot attempts, but both were wide of goalkeeper Bella Marsh, who was making her second consecutive start for Cleary.  Cleary would settle in, and gain some possession in UC-Clermont's defensive half, and in the 10th minute of action, Cleary would pounce.  Cleary was called for offside, and on the resulting free kick, Morgan Vanos received the ball, and kicked it towards the top left of the penalty area where Payton Zeh was waiting.  Zeh flicked a perfectly weighted pass behind the UC-Clermont defense to find Chelsea Waller, who only had the goalkeeper to beat, and she did not waste the chance, putting the ball into the back of the net, and scoring her first goal as a Cougar.  

Cleary would then find themselves in a back and forth affair, where UC-Clermont started to gain momentum as they tried to find the equalizer.  Cleary would start to take back the momentum at the half's thirty-minute mark, as Cleary earned back to back corner kicks.  On the second corner kick, Taylor Franco sent in a low ball towards the top of the penalty area, where Chelsea Waller was left unmarked, and fired a shot into the net, scoring her second goal of the game, and giving Cleary a 2-0 lead.

In the second half, UC-Clermont came out on the front foot, and forced Cleary into turnovers, and putting pressure on the Cleary backline.  That pressure ultimately resulted in a goal for the visitors, as Cleary committed a foul in the penalty area in the 61st minute.  UC-Clermont converted the penalty kick, and narrowed the Cleary lead to 2-1 with thirty minutes to play.  UC-Clermont kept the pressure on for the next twenty minutes, but were unable to tie the game.  Cleary's defense was up to the task, and held on to see out the game for the 2-1 victory.

Bella Marsh earned her first win of the season in goal, making 3 saves on 4 shots faced.  UC-Clermont outshot Cleary 15-9, but Cleary held a 6-4 advantage on shots on goal.  UC-Clermont also held a 5-3 advantage on corner kicks, while Cleary committed 23 fouls to UC-Clermont's 16 in the game.

The win improves Cleary's record to 1-2 on the season.  The Cougars will be back in action next Friday, September 5, when they take on the Ohio Christian University Trailblazers.  Kickoff is set for 3:00 PM at Lake Trust Stadium.