Junior Brittany Fracasso fights for control of the ball against Youngstown State yesterday. Fracasso won control and passed the ball to a teammate. KATIE ROUPE | DAILY KENT STATER

Credit: Jason Hall

All the Kent State soccer team needed to return to its winning ways, it turned out, was a return to its home turf.

The team snapped a three-game losing streak with a 1-0 victory over Youngstown State yesterday. This victory was the team’s seventh consecutive win at home, dating back to last season. Coach Rob Marinaro was pleased with his team’s effort.

“We are looking to progress and get better with every game,” Marinaro said. “There were some good things to take out of this game, and we hope to continue to progress in our upcoming games.”

Senior goalie Alicia Fernandez came through with her second shutout of the season and the 14th of her career in the victory.

“We were strong defensively today,” Marinaro said. “Everybody from the front to the back did a good job on defense.”

In the first half, the teams were locked in a defensive struggle, with Kent State controlling the tempo. Each team had chances, but the goalies for both teams were on top of their games. Fernandez made a diving save in the 24th minute to preserve the scoreless tie.

It didn’t take long in the second half for the Flashes to break the tie. In the eighth minute of the half, sophomore midfielder Cassie Seten scored her first goal of the season, depositing a Lisa Kurz pass in the back of the net. The goal was the Flashes’ first in their past four games, dating back to their double-overtime victory against Cleveland State.

“Lisa dribbled the ball up the field, cut back, and passed it back to me, and I just put it in the top right of the goal,” Seten said.

For the rest of the game, the team stood tall on defense, shutting down the Youngstown State’s offense. The team withstood a furious rally in the final minutes of the game by Youngstown State, keeping the ball out of the net despite two corner kicks in the final four minutes.

The Flashes’ next game is on Friday at home against St. Bonaventure. The game will be their final home non-conference tune-up before conference play begins next week. Seten hopes the momentum from yesterday’s victory will carry over to upcoming games.

“After losing three straight games, this win is good for us because it should give us confidence going into our next games, especially conference games,” Seten said. “We have great players and great potential.”

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