TOLEDO, OH – Toledo suffered a 4-0 setback against Dayton in Sunday's non-conference finale at Scott Park. With the loss, the Rockets fall to 3-5-0 on the season.
The Flyers (5-4-1) blew open a close match with three goals in the final eight-plus minutes to remain unbeaten in five all-time contests (4-0-1) against UT.
UD's Ashley Campbell paced the victors with two goals, while teammates Stephanie Emery and Meghan Scharer also found the back of the net to hand the Midnight Blue & Gold its worst setback since a 5-1 decision at Illinois on Aug. 21, 2011.
Dayton drew first blood on Emery's third goal of the season at 10:09. The speedy forward accepted a nice diagonal pass from Juliana Libertin along the right side of the pitch. She then took a quick touch to give herself a little breathing room from the Toledo defense before placing a low shot just out of the reach of UT sophomore keeper Sam TIongson for the eventual match-winning tally.
Facing an early deficit, the Rockets turned up the intensity offensively and had an opportunity to tally the equalizer on a shot by sophomore Megan Connor with a little under 31 minutes remaining in the opening half. Connor found a small seam in the UD defense about 15 yards out on the left side. She tried to maneuver a low shot just inside the near post, but Dayton goalie Elizabeth James was in proper position to make an acrobatic diving stop and knock the ball out of play.
As the first period wore on, Dayton was presented with a good chance to extend its lead off the boot of Campbell with approximately 20 minutes left on the clock. Emery started the play with a nice run down the right side and found Campbell in the middle of the UT goal box about seven yards from the end line. Campbell attempted to put a shot just inside the far post, but it glanced off the iron and caromed out of danger.
Following the intermission, UT had a chance to draw the teams even on a header by junior Alexis Tice. The home team had a free kick from approximately 30 yards out on the left side with a little over 35 minutes left in regulation. Freshman Brooke Maletic put the ball in play with a nice cross into the middle of the Dayton goal box to a soaring Tice. The Palatine, IL native simply out jumped the opposition and put a hard header on the frame. UD goalie James was once again in proper position to register the save and keep it a 1-0 difference.
In a see-saw battle for the opening 80-plus minutes, the Flyers had another opportunity to double its advantage off the foot of Libertin with 22:21 left in the contest. Libertin received a pass from Meghan Blank and made a long run down the right side of the pitch. She had about a half step on Toledo junior defender Kirsten Catloth and tried a blast a shot into the near post from about eight-yards out, but UT netminder Tiongson came off her line and made an acrobatic diving stop.
Moments later, UD's Campbell beat an offside trap by the home team and found herself one-on-one with Toledo's Tiongson. Campbell promptly hit a hard, low shot that Tiongson had no chance to stop to increase the visitors lead to 2-0 at 81:51. Libertin was credited with the assist on the play.
Campbell's tally opened up the floodgates as UD scored two more goals over the next four-plus minutes to put the contest out of reach.
The Flyers' third score came on a long shot by Scharer at the 83:26 mark. Off a corner kick, UD's Blank played a short pass to Scharer about 25 yards from the endline. The defender was not quickly covered on the play, so she blasted a shot over the head of Tiongson and into the back of the net.
Dayton then wrapped up the scoring on Campbell's second goal of the afternoon and team-best eighth of the season at 86:42. The well-skilled attacker took advantage of a lapse in the Toledo defense and sprinted down the middle of the pitch unmarked before hammering home a high shot from about 12 yards out. Lesley Chilton earned the helper on the final tally to set the final margin at 4-0.
UD finished with a 21-10 edge in shots, including a match-best five each by Campbell and Libertin. Connor paced UT with a team-high three shots.
Toledo's TIongson went the distance between the posts and posted a career-high nine saves. Her previous best effort was eight stops vs. Pepperdine on Sept. 8, 2013.
The Rockets return to action on Friday, Sept. 27 when they open Mid-American Conference play vs. Western Michigan. The opening whistle is slated for 4:00 p.m. at the corner of Hill Ave. and Parkside Blvd.
Dayton 4, TOLEDO 0
UD: S. Emery (J. Libertin), 10:09
UD: A. Campbell (J. Libertin), 81:51
UD: M. Scharer (M. Blank), 83:26
UD: A. Campbell (L. Chilton), 86:42
SHOTS: UT 10, UD 21
CORNER KICKS: UT 10, UD 4
SAVES: UT 9, UD 6
