Women's Soccer get PK from Sarah Puntel, wins at Capital 1-0

By Tim Glon

BEXLEY — The Ohio Northern women's soccer team got a penalty kick from senior Sarah Puntel (Strongsville) in th 51st minute and held on for a 1-0 victory at Capital on a cold, blustery evening at Bernlohr Stadium.

The Polar Bears (13-2-0 overall, 7-0-0 Ohio Athletic Conference) extend their win streak to 13 matches and remain in a first place tie with Otterbein atop the OAC standings.

ONU has now won 23 consecutive OAC regular season matches over the past three seasons.

The Crusaders fall to 11-4-0, 5-2-0.

Ohio Northern survived the first half playing to a scoreless tie into the teeth of a wind that gusted to more then 25 miles per hour.

With the wind in the second period, Puntel got the Polar Bears on the board with a penalty kick just 5:12 into the second half.

Junior Meagan Grierson (Miamisburg) had six saves in goal, posting her 11th shutout of the season and the 31st in her career.

"This was a very good win for us," ONU head coach Mark Batman said. "The weather was rough and it was their senior night but we still got it done. We spent so much energy staying even in the first half so it was nice to get a goal quickly with the wind helping us.

"We did a great job of managing the game once we got the lead, especially in the last eight minutes. Meagan was terrific in goal again for us tonight. She is playing at an All-America level right now."

Ohio Northern out-shot Capital 14-12.

The Polar Bears will return to action Wednesday night when they entertain Otterbein at Kerscher Stadium with no less than a share of the OAC Regular Season title at stake.