Mackenzie Bennett's header in the 13th minute tied the score between the Titans and Red Hawks at 2.
Mackenzie Bennett's header in the 13th minute tied the score between the Titans and Red Hawks at 2.

Titans Defeat Red Hawks With Second-Half Score

Mallory Knight scored the decisive goal off a pass from Maddie Morris during the 65th minute of play to give the UW-Oshkosh women's soccer team a 4-3 victory over Ripon College on Wednesday (Sept. 18) in Ripon.

Knight tallied her team-leading fourth goal of the season on her only shot of the contest. Her score broke a 3-3 deadlock that had been in place for a little over 22 minutes.

The two teams combined for six first-half goals, including a pair by Ripon College (1-5) within the game's first eight minutes of activity.

Camrie Schmitz gave the Red Hawks a quick 1-0 lead with her goal just 86 seconds into play. She then assisted on Paige Pierce's goal that gave Ripon College a 2-1 lead during the eighth minute (7:38) of the match.

UW-Oshkosh (3-3) tied the score at 1 on Ashley Baalke's kick in the sixth minute (5:26) and then at 2 on Mackenzie Bennett's header in the 13th (12:39). The goals were the first of the season for both players.

Mariah Matthews later put UW-Oshkosh ahead 3-2 with her first goal of the season in the 37th minute.

Ripon College evened the score at 3 when Brianna Schell scored off a pass from Pierce in the 43rd minute.

UW-Oshkosh (3-3) totaled 14 shots in the contest and earned all four of the game's corner kick opportunities. In addition to their four goals, the Titans had second-half shots from Baalke and Delaney Karl saved by Ripon College goalkeeper Stefani Zeiger.

Ripon College finished the contest with seven shots. The Red Hawks followed their three first-half scores with three second-half shots that were saved by UW-Oshkosh goalkeeper Erin Toomey.

Wednesday's match was the first between the teams since the 2001 season and the ninth overall. The Titans have won the last five meetings to lead the all-time series by a 6-3 count.

UW-Oshkosh hosts a pair of matches this weekend as Carthage College visits J. J. Keller Field at Titan Stadium on Saturday (Sept. 21) and Illinois Wesleyan University on Sunday (Sept. 22).

Photo courtesy of Terri Cole