Nov. 5, 2013

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Box Score

ROCHESTER, Mich. - Bolstered by a two-goal, two-assist effort by junior Kyla Kellermann, the Oakland women's soccer team defeated Youngstown State Tuesday evening, 6-2, in the first round of the 2013 Horizon League Championship. With the win, Oakland improves to 10-8-1 on the season and advances to the semifinal round and will take on No. 2 seed Wright State Friday, Nov. 8 at 4 p.m. in a neutral site game hosted by Milwaukee. Youngstown State ends its season with a 4-13-1 record.

The game got off to a blistering pace, as Oakland bounded out to a 3-0 lead in the game's 11th minute after a trio of goals in just 97 seconds of play. The early and sizeable lead was short lived, however, as Youngstown State responded with two goals in the 12th and 21st minutes to cut Oakland's lead to 3-2.

Seemingly unbaffled, Oakland then drilled home two more goals in the 26th and 28th minutes to take a 5-2 advantage into the halftime break. From there, the Golden Grizzlies added an insurance strike in the 53rd minute to close out the high-scoring affair.

"It was an excellent effort," Oakland interim head coach Dave Morgan said. "The players just kept going. We talked about getting off to a quick start. It took a little bit to get the first one, but they certainly didn't take their foot off the gas."

Kellermann started Oakland's first blitz in the ninth minute when she combined with Abigail Haelewyn and Brianne Horne, blasting a 20-yard shot from the top of the box to get the Golden Grizzlies on the board. Just 61 seconds later, Oakland made it 2-0 when Kourtney Grant scored her first goal of the season when she headed home a corner kick by Rachel DeLuca. Shortly thereafter, with 10:13 on the clock, it was 3-0 when Meghan Reynolds got help from Serena San Cartier and Kellermann to score her seventh goal of the season.

Youngstown State quickly grabbed a goal back in the 12th minute and made it a one-goal game in the 21st minute with goals by Chelsey Haney and Karlee Klein. But that margin was short-lived when Brianne Horne notched her first goal of the year on assists from Alice Palmer and Kellermann with a shot from 12 yards out.

Kellermann then notched her second goal of the game in the 28th minute when Deluca sent in a corner kick from the left side and the ball found the junior forward's feet from close range. For the half, Oakland out-shot Youngstown State 16-8, with 10 shots on goal.

San Cartier capped off the game's scoring in the 53rd minute when she got on the end of a long forward ball from defender Aly Rawson to beat Youngstown State goalkeeper Katie Montgomery from 15 yards. For the game, Oakland posted a 25-14 shots advantage, including a 13-7 shots on goal tally. Oakland goalkeeper Payj O'Shea made four of the team's five saves to earn the win.

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