Bowling Green State University
TOLEDO
Falcons Advance Past Toledo; BGSU to Host MAC Tournament this Weekend
November 01, 2005 | Women's Soccer
Nov. 1, 2005
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - For the second time in five days, the University of Toledo battled the Bowling Green State University women's soccer team right down to the wire. This time, however, each team's season was on the line in a Mid-American Conference Tournament quarterfinal contest. The Falcons and Rockets battled to a scoreless tie through regulation and two overtime periods, but host BGSU advanced, 3-2, on penalty kicks.
BGSU, the top seed, now will host the league tournament's semifinal and championship rounds at Cochrane Field. The semifinals will be held on Friday (Nov. 4), with the championship slated for Sunday (Nov. 6).
In the semifinals, the Falcons will take on fourth-seeded Miami University in Friday's second match, beginning at 2:00 p.m. MU was a 2-1 winner over fifth-seeded Eastern Michigan on Friday.
The first match of the semifinal round will feature two lower-seeded teams that advanced on Tuesday. Seventh-seeded Kent State will take on sixth-seeded Central Michigan in an 11:00 a.m. match at Cochrane. KSU battled to a 0-0 tie at Ball State before advancing on PKs, 3-1, while CMU was a 1-0 winner at Western Michigan.
Tuesday's BGSU-UT match came less than a week after the Falcons' 3-2 road win over the Rockets to close the regular season (Oct. 28). Tuesday's contest featured a number of momentum swings, particularly during the penalty-kick phase. Each team's goalkeeper, after pitching a shutout for 110 minutes of play, made at least one save in the PK session.
In the penalty-kick phase, the teams alternate through five rounds. Both teams were unsuccessful in round one, as UT's Pam Richard pushed her kick wide left, and BGSU senior Samantha Meister's shot was saved by diving UT 'keeper Jen Whipple.
In the second round, the Rockets' Kelly Langenbeck put her team on top, with a well-placed shot into the lower-left corner of the net. But, the Falcons' Britt Anderson also found the left side of the goal, and the teams were deadlocked once again.
Falcon goalie Ali Shingler came up big in round three, diving to tip Jessica Kluesener's shot off the crossbar. Junior Lindsay Carter then put her shot into the left side of the net to put the Falcons ahead.
UT's Rachel White scored into the upper right corner of the net to begin the fourth round, and Whipple made a save on sophomore Danielle Cygan's shot. The teams were deadlocked, 2-2, entering the fifth round.
UT's Lindsey Zembower's shot sailed high, meaning that BG senior Julie Trundle's shot would either end the contest or force a sixth round. Trundle fired toward the left side of the net. Whipple guessed correctly and got a hand on the ball with her diving effort, but the shot deflected off of the UT 'keeper and into the goal, sparking a BGSU celebration.
Earlier in the day, Falcon fans might have wondered if there would be a celebration, as BG struggled in the initial stages of the match. The Rockets held a 5-1 advantage in shot attempts in the first half, and BG's lone shot was a header that was well off the mark. At the other end of the field, UT registered five first-half shots, with Shingler forced to make one save.
In the second half, however, the Falcons turned up the offensive pressure. Just over two minutes into the half, Carter's right-side cross found Cygan in the center of the penalty box, but Cygan's redirection was wide. Less than a minute later, freshman Corbie Yee had the Falcons' first shot on goal of the afternoon, placing a shot toward the lower near (left) corner that Whipple was able to stop.
Nearly 10 minutes into the half, a UT offensive flurry resulted in both Shingler and Cygan falling to the turf momentarily, but both players were able to stay in the game.
Meister had several chances in a minute's time. After a Rocket foul in the Falcons' offensive end of the field, she headed a cross toward goal that was blocked by a UT defender. The rebound came directly back to Meister, and her second try was redirected wide by Yee.
Less than a minute later, a through-ball by senior Molly Bremen sent Meister, Whipple and several UT defenders all converging on the ball at the top of the 18-yard box. Meister got there first, poking the ball toward goal, but Whipple was able to block the shot, and the Rockets cleared the ball out of danger.
Each team had several more shot attempts in regulation, but neither side had anything that would be considered a grade-A scoring chance. The Falcons outshot the visitors, 10-3, in the second half, but the teams headed to overtime still deadlocked in a scoreless tie.
The first overtime produced a total of only one shot attempt, but it was perhaps the best scoring chance of the day. Falcon senior Ashley Wentzel played a free kick into the box, where Carter headed it backward to Meister. The Falcon senior took a shot that had Whipple beat, but rolled just wide of the right post with 6:44 left in the period.
In the second overtime, there was again just one shot, as Shingler saved a try by Sarah Schulte in the final minute of play. The teams, still scoreless after 110 minutes, headed to PKs, with BGSU ultimately moving on.
For the match, the Falcons held a 12-9 advantage in shot attempts, but the Rockets had a slim 4-3 edge in shots on goal. Both 'keepers pitched shutouts, with Shingler making four saves and Whipple three.
A total of 38 fouls were called, with Toledo being whistled for 20.
The Falcons will host the RedHawks in Friday's second semifinal of the day. BGSU won the regular-season match between the teams, 3-1 in Oxford, Ohio, on Oct. 2.
NOTES
QUOTES
BGSU Head Coach Andy Richards
"It's ironic the way things work out. The last time we hosted a quarterfinal game (in 2002), we beat Buffalo on a Julie Trundle penalty kick, and it was ironic that she scored on (BGSU's) fifth penalty kick. It was a very, very tight game; they always are against Toledo. They've given us two of our toughest games this season, and we squeaked through."
Did you feel you had the advantage in the penalty-kick situation?
"It's something we've practiced. We've put our kids in a lot of pressure situations; we make them go through that kind of environment a lot in practice. That's kind of the ethos of our program, to put kids under pressure to see how they come through."
Did you feel confident, when it was 2-2, with Julie Trundle taking your fifth kick?
"Yes. That's why we put Julie fifth. Often, that fifth penalty is the decider, and we always save Julie for those situations. She's worth her weight in gold, and she proved it once again."
Did you feel your team opened things up a little bit in the second half?
"I didn't think we played very well in the first half. I think the fact we got to halftime at 0-0 was of great credit to us. We played a lot better in the second half, we adjusted the way we were playing, and things seemed to go better for us. We just couldn't seem to get the breaks, but that's a credit to Toledo. They defended very, very well, and in the end, it wasn't surprising that it went all the way to PKs."
You mentioned that you were confident with Julie taking the fifth penalty kick; how about with Ali Shingler in goal?
"Ali is a great shot-stopper. That's one of her best attributes. I think they missed the goal on two occasions, and on the other one, she made a tremendous save. She used the crossbar to help her out a little bit, but that's the way she plays; that's why she is such a great goalkeeper."
Do you feel that, during the current unbeaten streak, your team has confidence in close games?
"We have a lot of experience. We have a lot of seniors who have played in a lot of games, and they have been in these kinds of situations before. When the luck is going for you, it just has a habit of continuing (to go), and long may it continue."
Senior Ali Shingler
What were you thinking, heading into the PKs?
"I was actually a little bit nervous, but I had the confidence that I would make at least one save ... Sometimes, all it takes is one save."
Any thoughts on getting to play at home again?
"I'm very excited. For me, it's been five years coming, so I'm ecstatic to be playing at home. We have a pretty good streak going here, and it's pretty exciting to be playing at home."
Senior Julie Trundle
What was going through your mind before you took the PK?
"I was a little nervous. When I was walking up there, I was just praying that it would go in. We take (PKs) all the time in practice, so I was just trying to replay practice in my mind, and just put it away."
You have taken the bulk of the team's penalty kicks over the last few years. Do you still feel the pressure?
"You still feel the pressure every time you take one. I didn't want my senior season to end today, and I know these girls behind me didn't want their season to end either. We've worked way too hard."
