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Eagles Go North, Get Shutout Win Over AAFC Lumberjills

Posted on by Grant Burkhardt
Eagles' head coach Matt Ogden got his first win as Columbus head coach on May 11, 2019 at AAFC Lumberjills.
11
May
Eagles’ head coach Matt Ogden made halftime adjustments to sure up the Eagles’ defense in Columbus’s 1-0 win over AAFC Lumberjills on May 11, 2019.

Alivia Milesky’s 32nd-minute goal was the difference as Columbus Eagles FC started its 2019 WPSL campaign on the winning foot Saturday night. The Eagles beat AAFC Lumberjills 1-0 in Ann Arbor and got three vital points to top the Ohio Valley table.

Next up for the Eagles is the club’s home WPSL opener on Sunday, May 19, against Cincinnati Sirens FC. Kickoff at Otterbein University is scheduled for 7 p.m. and tickets are on sale now for the big rivalry night.

Milesky’s goal came off a corner in the first half – the Lumberjills couldn’t clear their lines completely and the ball came to the Ohio University Bobcat midfielder. She got enough power behind the shot that it went through the outstretched hand of the Ann Arbor keeper Madison Paige and found the net.

The Eagles had most of the good play in the first half, peppering Paige’s net with shot after shot, but only got the one goal. In the second half, Ann Arbor found its feet a bit and Andrea Vera had to make a few big stops to keep Columbus ahead. The Eagles masterfully killed off the game in the last 30 minutes, not allowing the Lumberjills many good scoring chances.

Milesky was among the handful of players making Eagles’ debuts on Saturday night in cold, rainy Michigan. Olivia Sensky, Madison Costner, Sarina Dirrig, and Abby Townsend all made significant contributions on their Columbus debuts.

The core of the Eagles was strong as always – Ashley Gogolin captained the team, Kelly DeNiro and Lisa Nouanesengsy bossed the midfield alongside her, and Megan Minnix was strong alongside Sensky in the Eagles’ backline. Hannah Sargent started the match in goal and got a joint shutout with Andrea Vera, who played the whole second half.

The shutout marks the Eagles’ fifth in the last 9 WPSL matches, and the club’s first clean sheet on the road since 2016. Sargent has been a part of all five of those shutouts.

Match Recap:

AAFC Lumberjills 0; Columbus Eagles FC 1
Saturday, May 11, 2019
Al Ritt Stadium – Dexter, Mich.

Goals:
32′ – CEFC – Alivia Milesky (1)

Grant Burkhardt