Maddie Holmes knew the stakes as she approached the penalty spot in the fourth round of penalty kicks Sunday.
If she made her kick, the Kent State women’s soccer team would beat Ohio and move to the Mid-American Conference Tournament semifinals.
“It’s definitely an awesome feeling,” Holmes said, “but it’s also a really scary feeling. I just kind of go up there and remember it’s just another game playing soccer.”
Holmes rifled the ball past Ohio goalkeeper Erin Beurket, lifting the Flashes to a 4-2 penalty shootout victory.
Holmes whirled around with a smile on her face, and her teammates had already begun to celebrate at midfield.