QUICK HITS
- Essence Canady scored a goal and added an assist to lead the Vikings
- Cleveland State also received goals from Grace Krosky and Grace Grant
- Grace Krosky scored her team-leading fourth goal of the season
- Cleveland State finished the season with a 6-8-3 overall record and a 4-4-1 mark in the Horizon League
- The Vikings finished the season with a 4-4-1 record on the road
MATCH RECAP
CLEVELAND -- Junior Essence Canady had a goal and an assist and Cleveland State closed the 2019 season with a 3-2 victory at Wright State on Friday in a Horizon League match at Alumni Field.
"We played our best soccer tonight and it was great to get a very good win," said head coach Dallas Boyer. "Happy for the group, especially the seniors, that they got to end it that way."
Despite the Vikings victory, Cleveland State was eliminated from postseason consideration when Northern Kentucky topped Detroit Mercy 2-0. The Vikings ended the season with 13 points, while Oakland had 14 points and Northern Kentucky and Wright State had 15 points.
Cleveland State, which finished the season with a 6-8-3 overall record and a 4-4-1 mark in the Horizon League, came out fast against the Raiders.
Canady fired a shot that hit the crossbar and into the waiting feet of Grace Krosky who tapped home the rebound giving the Vikings a 1-0 lead just 8:17 into the match.
The Vikings just missed on extending the lead in the 19th minute. Canady hit the post from the right side in the box and the ball caromed across the goal mouth and the rebound attempt by Elena Gutlove found the far post to keep the match at 1-0.
Cleveland State took the 1-0 lead into the intermission as the Vikings held a 9-7 advantage in shots and a 5-2 edge in corner kicks.
The Vikings wasted little time in increasing the lead in the second period as Cleveland State needed just 1:59 to up the margin. McKenna Donahue hit the crossbar and Canady found the ball in traffic in front of the goal and drilled the rebound home to give Cleveland State a 2-0 lead.
Wright State, which dropped to 10-5-2 overall and 5-4 in the Horizon League, got on the board when Jordyne Helinski scored from the top right corner outside the box.
Grace Grant answered for Cleveland State at the 66:43 mark of the second when she drilled home a shot from outside the box to push the Vikings lead to 3-1.
Stevie Holbrook, who finished the match with eight saves, made a brilliant save moments later on a shot by Brittney Petrosky to keep the Vikings lead at two goals.
The Raiders made it interesting with a goal at the 73:01 mark of the second, but the Vikings were able to keep Wright State at bay for the remainder of the match.