Women's Soccer starts 2019 schedule with 1-0 victory over Washington & Jefferson (Pa.) in Tartan Cup; Batman wins #200, Fuller scores game-winner

By Scott Beaton

PITTSBURGH, Pa. —  The Ohio Northern women's soccer team opened its 2019 campaign with a 1-0 win over Washington & Jefferson (Pa.) in the Tartan Cup at Carnegie Mellon Soccer Field on Friday.

The ONU victory is also 16th-year head coach Mark Batman's 200th career win. Batman is the program's all-time winningest coach in both wins and winning percentage.

Junior Jenna Fuller (Countryside, Ill./Lyons Township) scored the game-winner in the 52nd minute for the Polar Bears (1-0-0).

W & J (0-1-0) keeper Gabriella Lloyd made eight second-half saves to lead the Presidents.

In the first half, senior Rose Nienaber (Cincinnati/Oak Hills) and junior Siena Ward (Newport Beach, Cal./Newport Harbor) each generated shots on goal but neither team could get on the scoreboard.

The lone goal of the match came in the 52nd minute.

Junior Sydney Leshnak (Liberty Township/Mount Notre Dame) played a deep ball that Fuller corralled. Fuller then made a move on a pair of W & J defenders to create enough space to fire a left-footed strike from 20 yards out into the top-left corner of the net, putting ONU up 1-0. 

The Polar Bears nearly extended their lead in the 79th minute, but a penalty kick from freshman Allison Contenza (Rocky River) was batted away by Lloyd. Conteza gathered the rebound and fired another shot on-target, but it was saved and the W & J defense was able to clear the ball.

In the 84th minute, Northern continued to apply pressure as junior Megan Breier (Plainfield, Ill./North) sent a shot off the left post.

ONU's defense and senior goalkeeper Meagan Grierson (Dayton/Miamisburg) kept a clean sheet throughout the match, stopping both of W & J's shot attempts.

Northern created 25 shots with 11 on-target. ONU recorded seven corners to one for W & J.

The Polar Bears take to the field again on Sunday at 1:30 against Carnegie Mellon (Pa.).