ADA, Ohio – The Baldwin Wallace University women's soccer team struggled to find rhythm in a 5-1 loss to defending Ohio Athletic Conference regular season and tournament champion Ohio Northern University inside Kerscher Stadium.

Although Ohio Northern (8-2, 2-0 OAC) opened the game on the attack, it was BW (6-4-1, 0-2 OAC) that found the scoreboard first with an unassisted 20-yard strike from senior three-time All-OAC and Academic All-OAC forward Rachel Bender (Massillon/Jackson) in the sixth minute. Less than a minute later, however, the Polar Bears answered with a goal of their own off a rebounded shot, tying the game at 1-1. Ohio Northern continued on the offensive, rifling off five more shots before a second rebounded shot found the back of the net in the 18th minute. The early goals put the Yellow Jackets on their heels as they struggled to connect passes and find their rhythm. Meanwhile, the Polar Bears would add two more goals to take a 4-1 lead into halftime.

Junior Academic All-OAC goalkeeper Sophia Weidner (Medina) started the second half with four saves as Ohio Northern sprayed shots all over the field. The Polar Bears finished off the scoring in the 74th minute. BW's second shot on goal and its last shot of the night came in the 71st minute off the foot of freshman forward Michelina Rush (North Huntingdon, Pa./Norwin) as she forced the ONU goalie into her only save of the game.

In the net, junior Academic All-OAC goalkeeper Emma Bruno (Pittsburgh, Pa./Bethel Park) made four saves in the eight shots on goal she faced in the loss while Weidner recorded five saves, allowing just the one second-half goal. 

BW returns home to the friendly confines of George Finnie Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 6, to host Otterbein University at 1 p.m. after playing five of its last six games on the road.