CHARLESTON, W. Va. – Junior Morgan Mrizek scored a late winner to send the Frostburg State Women's Soccer team to a 1-0 victory over Charleston (WV) on Sunday afternoon.
 
In a rematch of the 2023 MEC Championship, UC controlled the early possession and registered the game's first shot, though it was blocked by the Bobcat defense. As FSU worked their way into the game, a deep throw-in came out to senior Mei Homman from nearly 30 yards out, as her effort didn't have the pace to trouble keeper Jordan Maynard.
 
Charleston saw a great chance to get the opener just over 10 minutes in, as a header off a corner was saved by senior Katie Sterne, then the follow-up rebound bounced off the crossbar and out. Frostburg continued to gain momentum, controlling the next three minutes as Mrizek played a brilliant ball through to junior Jayme Sooy, but Maynard was quick out of her goal to get in front of the shot. Senior Madi Allen then had a couple chances at goal following a corner, first heading into Maynard and then seeing her follow-up effort cleared off the line.
 
After a five-minute period without much action, the Bobcats kicked into gear yet again. Allen charged through on goal after a ball over the top by junior Mary Greco, but a combination of a recovering defender and Maynard did enough to prevent her from scoring. Within the next minute, Sooy gathered a loose ball at the edge of the 18 and forced Maynard to parry away, as Allen lurked but couldn't get the ball to sit for an ideal shot.
 
The Golden Eagles then registered their first shot in over 10 minutes, though it was only a tame header easily gathered by Sterne. At the midway point in the half, freshman Mollie Rebuck tried her luck from distance but could only find Maynard's chest on an easy catch. Neither team generated much the rest of the half, with Charleston coming closest on a turn from Juliette Lucas just outside the box that beat Sterne but clipped the top of the crossbar to go into the break 0-0.
 
Each team was evenly matched to start the second 45, with UC getting into some threatening positions but unable to fashion many meaningful chances from them. Just past the 10-minute mark, Maynard came out of her area to clear a ball, but it fell to senior Mackenzie Alonso, who, seeing the keeper out, tried to find the empty net but saw the ball go agonizingly off the crossbar.
 
Sterne had her finest moment of the game 10 minutes later, as a corner was swung towards the back post, being met by Demari Curry, as the Bobcat netminder flew to her right to paw the ball out, seeing it cleared by her defense. Curry then had another chance off a corner, but could only place the shot wide as FSU looked to regain their composure.
 
After being awarded a free kick, Homman lofted a ball into the box that was headed on goal by senior Cat Smith, though it was straight at Maynard, the same result as with 12 minutes on the clock, when junior Carly Gillette took the ball through midfield and tested Maynard again. Two minutes later, senior Carolyn DeSena brought the ball out of defense and played a pass down the right wing for freshman Cassidy Paige to run onto, as she crossed into the box to find Mrizek, taking a touch off her thigh and another to finish home for a late 1-0 lead.
 
Frostburg's defense closed up shop, not allowing the Golden Eagles a sniff at goal the rest of the way, while taking the ball into their own offensive third and winding down the clock. In the final two minutes, Rebuck nearly doubled the lead, bearing down on goal and firing towards the bottom left corner, but Maynard got just enough of a hand on the shot to turn it wide. A short corner and two time-consuming throw-ins were enough to see FSU close out the one-goal win and hand UC their first conference loss since 2022.
 
The Bobcats held a 16-8 advantage in shots, including a 13-3 mark in efforts on goal, as Sterne preserved the clean sheet with three saves.
 
With the win, Frostburg improves to 7-1-1 on the year, while Charleston falls to 6-3. FSU returns home to face Davis & Elkins on Wednesday, October 9 at 7:30 p.m. Information and updates will be posted to frostburgsports.com.