CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Cleveland State University women's soccer team came up on the short end of a 2-0 decision to Kent State Sunday afternoon at a warm and very humid Krenzler Field.

The Golden Flashes, the preseason favorite in the Mid-American Conference, held a slim, 6-5, edge in shots on goal while the Vikings owned a 5-3 advantage in corner kicks.

Senior Sarah Krause led CSU with a trio of shots, two of which were on target. Sophomore Stevie Holbrook made four saves in 90 minutes in net.

Head coach Dallas Boyer made three changes to his starting XI from last time out, including introducing true freshman Megan Bine for her first-career start. Sophomore Essence Canady made her first start since last September, when she was sidelined with a season-ending injury.

Kent State had its first good chance just inside 10 minutes when an initial shot was blocked by senior defender Seyla Perez and then a follow-up effort was turned aside by a diving save from Holbrook toward her left near post.

The ensuing 10 minutes was perhaps the Vikings' best spell of the day as they took four shots, including a couple of near misses, and two corner kicks without reply from the Golden Flashes.

In the 11th minute, freshman Ja'Maya Ward, who was reinserted back into the starting lineup, slipped in Sarah Krause down the left but her tight angle shot was saved by the keeper.

In the 15 minute, Cleveland State nearly played a short corner to perfection. Sowinski took the corner to Krause who then found classmate McKenna Vento. Vento dribbled laterally into the area and forced a diving save with her shot.

Vento had another good look denied fewer than three minutes later, this one from near the edge of the box. Senior Dani Sowinski was just unable to get to the rebound ahead of a Kent defender.

After weathering the spell of CSU pressure, Kent State struck first in the 27th minute. Vital Kits played a pass from the center of the pitch to the left side for Khyla Porter. Porter took a couple touches into the box before shooting low to the far right post.

Kent State was then gifted a goal with just a single second on the clock before the halftime whistle. A giveaway by the CSU back line saw Kent State capitalize as a shot from distance beat the clock as Holbrook had come off her line to help play a free kick.

The second half saw little in the way of legitimate chances for either side as Kent State was content to sit back with its two-goal lead. The Flashes did not register a single shot on target for the second stanza.

Krause had one of the better looks of the second for CSU in the 54th minute, but her curling effort from the right wing was kept out.

With a cloudy afternoon having turned sunny, and significantly hotter, overcoming a deficit proved even more challenging for CSU.

Kent State was whistled for 21 fouls in the match, nearly as many as the Vikings' past two opponents combined.

Cleveland State will hit the road next weekend for a pair of matches in North Carolina, beginning Friday, Aug. 31, when it plays a neutral-site match against Fairleigh Dickinson.