Season Review: Women's Soccer records 11th straight winning season
By Ashley Birchmeier
ADA — The 2014 Ohio Northern women's soccer team had another winning season under 11th year head coach Mark Batman.
The Polar Bears posted a 10-7-2 overall record and finished tied for second in the Ohio Athletic Conference with a 6-2-1 mark.
This was the ninth consecutive season Ohio Northern has made an appearance in the OAC Tournament, and 10th appearance under Batman.
ONU had seven members earn All-OAC honors for their efforts during the season.
Senior Kristina Klusek was named OAC Forward of the Year and First Team All-OAC.
Sophomore Michaela Gutierrez and sophomore Shelby Stephens were also named First Team All-OAC.
In addition, junior Alex Weirich and freshman Hannah Reich were named Second Team All-OAC and junior Emily Brodict and freshman Anna Niemeyer were named Honorable Mention All-OAC.
Klusek and Gutierrez also both earned All-Region honors.
Junior Hannah Moloney, sophomore Rachel Weigman, sophomore Missy Ward, sophomore Sarah Huster, sophomore Ellie Schmalzl, Klusek, Brodict, and Stephens all achieved academic all-OAC honors.
The Polar Bears opened its season by taking part in the DePauw Classic where they defeated both Illinois Wesleyan 1-0, and the host of the Classic, DePauw (Ind.), 1-0.
ONU then traveled to Cincinnati where they took on division I foe Xavier and fell 2-1.
The Polar Bears then defeated Kenyon in dominate fashion as Klusek recorded her second hat trick of her career in the 4-1 victory.
Northern would then fall in three straight contest to Transylvania (Ky.) 1-0, Denison 1-0, and Case Western Reserve 1-0.
ONU closed out its non-conference schedule with a 2-2 double overtime tie against Wittenberg, followed by a 1-0 victory over the #8 ranked Thomas More 1-0.
The Polar Bears dropped its OAC opener 1-0 to John Carroll in a late goal with little time left in regulation.
Ohio Northern bounced back following the loss to John Carroll as they picked up two straight wins.
Northern captured victories over Wilmington and Mount Union.
ONU would win five of its last six games to close out the regular season.
In Batman's 11 seasons at the helm, his teams have posted 138-53-22 overall record a winning percentage of .738.
The Polar Bears earned the number two seed in the OAC Tournament and a first round bye.