Bowling Green State University Athletics
Falcons Open With Two Home Contests
January 04, 2000 | Women's Soccer
Aug. 5, 1999
TOP STORIES:
The Falcons embark upon the most ambitious schedule in the program's three-year history ... in addition to the rigorous Mid-American Conference slate, the Brown and Orange will host three Big Ten Conference schools and hit the road to face a team (Georgia) that advanced to the NCAA's round of 16 last year.
BGSU welcomes back 16 letterwinners, including nine starters, from last year's team.
THIS WEEK: The Bowling Green State University women's soccer team opens the 1999 season with a pair of home matches this weekend. The Falcons will face Michigan State in a Friday (Aug. 27) contest. That match is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. at Cochrane Field.
On Sunday (Aug. 29), the Brown and Orange will host Valparaiso in a 2:00 p.m. contest.
Next weekend, the Falcons will head to Athens, Ga., for a pair of matches. BG will take on Georgia in a Friday (Sept. 3) evening contest, beginning at 7:00 p.m. Two days later (Sept. 5), the Falcons will play East Carolina in a neutral-site match beginning at noon.
TOM PICCIRILLO: BGSU head coach Tom Piccirillo begins his third season at the helm of the Falcons, and has a 14-23-1 record. His overall record, which includes five years at Tiffin and three seasons at Keuka (N.Y.), is 97-82-9.
Julie Reule embarks upon her third season as Piccirillo's assistant.
ABOUT THE FALCONS: BGSU finished the 1998 season with an overall record of 8-11-1. The Falcons went 4-5-1 in MAC play to finish sixth. In the MAC Tournament, BG posted a 1-0 win at third-seeded Eastern Michigan in the quarterfinals before losing to the number-two seed and eventual tourney champ, Northern Illinois, in the semifinals by a 2-1 count.
The Falcons welcome back 16 of last year's 22 letterwinners, including nine starters.
GLEIXNER LIKELY TO MISS SEASON: Unfortunately for the Falcons, forward Tracy Gleixner, one of those 16 returning letterwinners, is expected to miss the 1999 season. Gleixner, BGSU's first-ever selection to the All-MAC First Team last fall, suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury in the spring. Gleixner, who set school records with 12 goals and 29 points, will retain three years of eligibility.
ABOUT THE OPPONENTS: Michigan State finished 6-12-2 last year, including a Big Ten record of 0-8-1. Tom Saxton enters his ninth year as a collegiate head coach -- all with the Spartans -- with a 74-72-10 record.
Valparaiso posted a 3-16-1 record last year. Second-year coach Stephen Anthony's team will begin playing a Mid-Continent Conference schedule this fall. Competing in the Missouri Valley Conference last year, the Crusaders went 1-6-0.
Georgia finished with a 13-6-2 record last year. The Bulldogs were 4-4 in Southeastern Conference play, tying for fifth in the league's Eastern Division, but qualified for the NCAA Tournament and advanced to the round of 16. Coach Bill Barker is 52-24-6 heading into his fifth season at UGA. He is 102-42-15 entering his 10th year overall. The Bulldogs will host both Jacksonville State (Aug. 27) and Georgia State (Aug. 29) prior to facing the Falcons.
East Carolina's 10-7-1 overall mark last year included a 3-5-0 slate and a sixth-place finish in the Colonial Athletic Association. Rob Donnenwirth, 62-26-9 in five seasons as a head coach, enters his first year with the Pirates. ECU hosts Elon (Aug. 27) and heads to William & Mary (Aug. 29) before meeting BG.
THE SERIES: The Falcons are 0-2-0 all-time against Michigan State. The Spartans recorded a 2-1 win at Cochrane Field two years ago, then won last year's contest in East Lansing by a 5-1 score. In the only previous match with Valparaiso, BGSU won a 2-1 decision on the road to open the 1998 season. The Falcons have never faced Georgia or East Carolina in women's soccer.
BGSU SIXTH IN PRESEASON POLL: The Falcons were picked to finish sixth in the 1999 Mid-American Conference regular-season race, according to the league's 12 head coaches. The Falcons received 76 points, just three points behind fifth-place Central Michigan, in the poll, released by the MAC office last Wednesday (Aug. 18). The complete poll, with points received (first-place votes in parentheses):
BGSU head coach Tom Piccirillo enters the 1999 season needing just three wins to reach the 100-victory mark for his career ... Piccirillo, in his third year with the Falcons, is 97-82-9 entering his 11th year as a collegiate head coach.
1. Ohio (8)______________139 2. Northern Illinois (4)_135 3. Eastern Michigan_______99 4. Kent___________________88 5. Central Michigan_______79 6. Bowling Green__________76 7. Toledo_________________75 8. Miami__________________72 9. Buffalo________________71 10. Western Michigan_______45 11. Marshall_______________42 12. Ball State_____________15
FALCONS WIN LONE SCRIMMAGE: The Falcons posted a 3-2 win in the team's lone preseason scrimmage. BGSU bested the visiting Michigan Hawks, a club team, Sunday (Aug. 22).
Freshman Jill Conover scored the lone goal of the first half. After a Hawks tally early in the second half, sophomore Desiree Erb scored a pair of goals just a few minutes apart. The Hawks scored to cut the margin to one goal, but could not register the equalizer. Freshman goalkeeper Erika Flanders played all 90 minutes in the net.
FALCON NOTES: The MAC has received an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships ... for the first time this season, the MAC Tournament winner will automatically qualify for the national tourney ... of last year's 25-player roster, a total of 21 started at least one match ... 15 of those 21 players return in 1999 ... of the 23 BGSU field players last year, 20 scored at least one point ... 14 of those 20 are back ... the Falcons committed more fouls than the opponent just twice in 20 matches last fall ... in MAC contests, BG was out-fouled, 128-69 ... the Falcons were unlucky in overtime contests last fall ... after winning the team's only OT match in 1997, the Brown and Orange went 0-3-1 a year ago ... Falcon freshmen accounted for 25 of BG's 41 goals (61%) and 31 of the team's 51 assists (also 61%) in 1998.
BGSU SEASON OUTLOOK:
After making great strides a season ago, the BGSU women's soccer team looks to continue that positive progress in 1999. Last year's squad, just the second in Falcon annals, finished sixth in the MAC regular-season race, then advanced to the semifinals of the league tournament before succumbing in overtime to the eventual champion.
As evidenced in that semifinal match, a 2-1 loss to Northern Illinois, the Falcons proved they could play with any team in the conference last year. BG suffered several losses of the lopsided variety in the inaugural season of 1997, but last year's edition of the Falcons was in every game against conference competition.
Head coach Tom Piccirillo and assistant Julie Reule welcome back 16 letterwinners, including nine starters, in an effort to take the next step and battle for MAC supremacy.
For the second year in a row, Piccirillo and Reule should have a greater amount of depth and versatility among their troops.
A solid corps of returnees includes six juniors who have been with the program since day one, as well as a sophomore class that played a big role in the Falcon success of a year ago.
Additionally, another solid recruiting class should help the BG squad in the quest for MAC success.
The coaching staff must answer a few questions, however, before passing their conference tests this fall.
The primary concerns are: 1) finding a replacement for stellar striker Tracy Gleixner, and 2) solidifying the goalkeeper spot. Piccirillo believes that the goalkeeping dilemma has been solved, and that the scoring should resolve itself.
After totalling 12 goals en route to an All-MAC First-Team selection as a freshman, Gleixner suffered an injury to her anterior cruciate ligament this spring. She likely will miss the entire season while rehabilitating the injury.
"Now that we have a group of juniors for the first time, we should have that experience and leadership that we've been looking for," said Piccirillo. "The big question is, 'Who's gonna step up and be the goalscorer?'
"That (scoring) could come from the freshman class, or from the upperclass members. I think, very realistically, we could see a case of scoring by committee."
When looking for those goalscorers, Piccirillo will have a large group of players from which to draw. While losing Gleixner up front, the Falcons should regain an offensive threat in junior Michelle Lisy.
Lisy, who began the 1998 season at forward, wound up the season as the starting goalkeeper. Despite playing in just 13 matches in the field, she placed fourth on the team in scoring.
Lisy, a senior academically, has two years of athletic eligibility remaining. She played on the BGSU club team in 1996, but, because the varsity team did not yet exist, that year of club ball does not count against her eligibility.
"Our game plan right now is to have Lisy back up top," said Piccirillo. "That should give us some scoring punch that we lost when we had to move her to 'keeper last year."
Sophomore Desiree Erb, one of the team's fastest members, could join Lisy on the front line, as could a trio of freshmen in Jill Conover, Kelly Archiable and Susan Wallace.
In the midfield, juniors Stephanie Heller and Janice Mentrup return. Both players started all 20 matches last year, and have provided steady play for two seasons.
Both Heller and Mentrup scored nine points last fall, and each player now has 19 career points in a BG uniform.
Freshman Melissa Galitz could see time in the midfield as well.
A number of other players could be utilized either at forward or in the midfield, depending upon the system the Falcons employ. That group includes junior Jamie Eshleman, sophomores Annmarie Aparo, Erin Incorvaia, Leah Rosner and Mandy Smith and freshman Amy McIlwain.
In the back, starters Ashley Enser, a junior, and sophomores Leslie Hepfinger and Beth Wechsler return. Enser, a tri-captain along with Lisy and Mentrup, is one of just two players to have started every match in the history of the program (Mentrup is the other).
Wechsler, in addition to helping solidify the defensive corps, gave the Falcons offensive punch from that position as well. She totalled 12 points en route to All-MAC Second-Team honors.
Hepfinger, who was more of a stay-at-home defender last year, started 16 matches in her first collegiate season.
Junior Autumn Harris, who started 17 contests last fall, could start in the back, should Piccirillo decide to go with four defenders. Otherwise, Harris should challenge for a starting midfield spot.
Also vying for time on the back line will be sophomores Meredith Davis and Leslie Buse.
"The defense was pretty strong a year ago," said Piccirillo. "However, I think that group is a lot stronger now, simply because they have had the experience of playing together."
The goalie position, as mentioned, was a source of concern for Piccirillo last fall, as a pair of freshmen attempted to make the adjustment to collegiate ball. The coach believes that the spot has been solidified heading into 1999, with sophomore Sarah Gawel and freshman Erika Flanders competing for time in the net.
"Our goalkeeping has greatly improved this year," said Piccirillo. "We gave up some soft goals last year, which we've got to cut down on. But, when you play freshmen, you're going to have freshman mistakes.
"Sarah struggled at times last year, like freshmen do, but she now has a full year of collegiate experience under her belt. She really came on in the spring, and played with a lot of confidence.
"Erika was one of the top goalkeepers at a camp that features the top 150 players in the country. So, even though she is a freshman, she has played at a very high level already."
The Falcons now know that the team can compete with the rest of the MAC, and Piccirillo sees the league race shaping up as a real battle, day in and day out.
"Everyone is going to be better, it will be very interesting to see how things shake out. I think everyone has taken strides."
In addition to the 11-match MAC slate, the Falcons will face three Big Ten Conference opponents -- all at Cochrane Field -- in the most ambitious schedule to date. Michigan State comes to town during the season's first weekend, and the Brown and Orange will meet Indiana and Ohio State to end the regular season. Each of the latter two teams was included in the Soccer Buzz preseason national poll.
Additionally, the Falcons will travel to Georgia to face a team which advanced to the "Sweet 16" of the NCAA Tournament a year ago.
"We have a great schedule, with three Big Ten teams at home," Piccirillo said. "We open the season with MSU, then go down to Georgia the following weekend.
"The first year, we played teams of this caliber to show our kids what we needed to do and where we needed to go. Now, we are looking to play with, compete with and beat those teams."
BG also faces a pair of teams from out of the region in Niagara and East Carolina, as well as two other non-MAC foes in Valparaiso and Detroit.
In all, Piccirillo sees his team continuing to make strides in an effort to move into the rarefied air of the MAC's elite teams.
"I feel like we almost got an extra year under our belt, with the strides that we made in last year's postseason. We we able to go to Eastern Michigan and beat them in the tournament after a 5-2 loss to them (during the regular season).
"Additionally, we've made great strides against Northern Illinois, from a 6-0 loss (in 1997) to 4-2 (1998 regular season) to 2-1 in overtime. We are in much better shape now.
"One of our goals is to be in the conference's top four. I think we've proven that we are capable of doing that, as we showed in the conference playoffs. Now, though, we want to finish in the top four in the regular season, and prepare for the MAC Tournament."
Obviously, the team's question marks must be answered in a positive fashion for the Falcons to scale the MAC mountain. Piccirillo feels that a group effort will help in the team's climb to the top.
"I think we are stronger across the board, with the one main question concerning putting the ball in the net. We have a number of returning players with the capability to find the net.
"Additionally, we have a number of newcomers that have been proven goalscorers with their previous teams. The goal is still the same size (in college), and you still have to beat the 'keeper.
"So, whether it is one person scoring the goals, or whether it is a case of 'scoring by committee', I think the situation will take care of itself."
If the Falcons' concerns are addressed, the winning should take care of itself as well.
FALCON QUICK FACTS
THIS WEEK
Michigan State at BGSU
Friday, August 27 - 4:00 p.m. - Cochrane Field
Valparaiso at BGSU
Sunday, August 29 - 2:00 p.m. - Cochrane Field
FINAL 1998 RECORDS
Overall: 8-11-1 (.425)
Mid-American Conference: 4-5-1
MAC Tournament: 1-1
HEAD COACH - Tom Piccirillo (third year)
Alma Mater: Upsala, 1986
Record at BGSU: 14-23-1
Career Record: 97-82-9 (11th yr.)
ASSISTANT COACH - Julie Reule (third year)
Alma Mater: James Madison, 1995
BOWLING GREEN RECORDS
All-Time: 14-23-1 (.382) (1997-present / third year)
MAC: 5-11-1 (.324) (1997-present / third year)
1998 MAC STANDINGS
Team (Overall)_______________MAC__Pts. Ohio (16-6-0)______________9-1-0___27 Northern Ill. (14-7-0) *___9-1-0___27 Eastern Mich. (13-7-1)_____7-2-1___22 Kent (13-7-1)______________5-4-1___16 Toledo (8-12-0)____________5-5-0___15 Bowling Green (8-11-1)_____4-5-1___13 Buffalo (10-6-2)___________3-5-2___11 Western Mich. (6-10-2)_____3-6-1___10 Miami (5-8-3)______________2-6-2____8 Central Mich. (6-10-1)_____2-7-1____7 Marshall (4-13-1)__________1-8-1____4 (three points for a win, one for a tie) (teams listed in order of seeding for MAC Tournament) * MAC Tournament Champion
BGSU RESULTS LINE
419/372-7076, choose option 4
(same-day scores and brief summaries from all Falcon athletic teams)
