College Insider: Locals play key roles in Ohio women’s soccer success

Three area players contributed to a breakout season for the Ohio University women’s soccer team.

Senior defender Rianna Reese, a Lakota East High School graduate, started every game and was a defensive mainstay for the Bobcats, who finished 9-8-3 for their first winning record since 2009.

Senior midfielder Madelyn Kah (Badin) made 19 starts and played in every game, ranking fourth on the team in points with 10 (three goals, four assists). Freshman forward Maeve Maloney (Lebanon) made seven appearances off the bench.

No. 4 seed Ohio advanced to the Mid-American Conference tournament semifinals for the first time since 2004, losing to top-seeded Bowling Green 1-0.

• Hanover (Ind.) had two local players honored by the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference this fall.

Senior defender Abby Daley (Springboro) of Franklin was an honorable-mention selection, while junior defender Lizzie Matchett (Lakota West) earned an all-sportsmanship award.

Both players started every game for the HCAC regular-season champion Panthers (17-2). Matchett notched three assists, and Daley added one.

Junior goalkeeper Emma DeBolt (Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy) of West Chester Township played in one game. She didn’t allow a goal in 13 minutes and 38 seconds of action.

Football: Sophomore linebacker Caleb Boy (Carlisle) was the second-leading tackler (31 solos, 40 assists) for Marietta and led the squad with three fumble recoveries.

Boy had 3.5 tackles for loss and one forced fumble for the Pioneers, who finished 7-3 overall and 6-3 in the Ohio Athletic Conference.

Sophomore place-kicker Logan Alward (Madison) averaged 52.1 yards on 58 kickoffs. He had three touchbacks.

Women's cross country: Senior Gloria Corona-Luna (Lakota West) was the No. 3 runner for Morehead State last Friday at the NCAA Southeast Regional meet in Rock Hill, S.C.

Corona-Luna was 102nd among 245 runners in 21:51.3, the fourth-best 6K time in program history.

The Eagles placed 15th as a team. It was their best-ever regional finish.

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