Final Stats
TOLEDO, OH - Freshman midfielder Nichole Williams found the net with under three minutes left in regulation as Toledo (3-5-0, 2-2-0 MAC) held off a late charge from Akron, 2-1, in Mid-American Conference action at Scott Park.
"This win is a real positive," Toledo Head Coach Brad Evans said. "We played a very good game. I was especially happy with our performance in the first half. In the second half, Akron applied some pressure, but we were able to regroup and found a way to win."
Toledo opened the scoring at 30:53 on senior captain Melissa Lesage's team-leading fifth goal of the season. Sophomore Brittany Lawrence was credited with the assist. Lawrence won a free ball from an Akron player and advanced the ball down the sideline toward the Akron goal, before placing a cross right to a streaking Lesage, who shot it past UA goalkeeper Crystal Tabor for the score.
Akron (2-5-1, 1-3-0 MAC) tied the score at 60:18 on a tally by Mirka Mohs from Nicole Meiler. With Akron having numbers forward on the Rockets, UT goalkeeper Molly Patterson got caught off her line and Mohs made her pay, as she was able to get in behind the UT defense for the equalizer.
Toledo scored the game-winner at 87:32 on a follow-up shot by Williams from Lawrence for her first collegiate goal. Lawrence made a nice cross from the wing toward the Akron goal. UT's Rebecca Hollis made a run on the ball through the box that scared the Akron's Tabor just enough to allow Williams to flick a shot towards the goal. Tabor made a nice stop on the original shot, but the follow came right back to Williams and she slid a shot underneath Tabor for the game-winner.
"Space presented itself for Brittany and she took it," Evans said. "She played a dangerous in and Rebecca (Hollis) crashed in and made it difficult for the Akron goalkeeper to get the ball. Nicole got her foot on the ball and it bounced in"
Also contributing on the UT offensive end was sophomore midfielder Kelly Langenbeck, who registered three shots during the match.
The Rockets finished the day with 13 shots on goal, compared to the Zips' 11. UT's netminder Patterson turned away four shots, while UA's Tabor was forced to make six saves.
The Rockets return to action on Friday, Sept. 26, when they wrap-up their five-game home stand, hosting Detroit in non-conference action. Game time is slated for 4:00 p.m. at Scott Park.
TOLEDO 2, Akron 1
UT: M. Lesage (Lawrence), 30:53
UA: M. Mohs (Meiler), 60:18
UT: N. Williams (Lawrence), 87:32
Shots: UT 13, UA 11
Saves: UT 4, UA 6
Corner Kicks: UT 6, UA 1
Fouls: UT 4, UA 7
