Bowling Green State University Athletics
Women's Soccer Loses To Spartans, 1-0
October 29, 2000 | Women's Soccer
Oct. 29, 2000
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - A first-half goal by Heidi Lutz proved to be the match winner, as Michigan State University posted a 1-0 victory over the Bowling Green State University women's soccer team Sunday (Oct. 29). The non-conference match was the regular-season finale for both teams.
Prior to the contest, the seven Falcon seniors -- Leslie Buse, Ashley Enser, Jamie Eshleman, Autumn Harris, Stephanie Heller, Michelle Lisy and Janice Mentrup -- were honored in "Senior Day" festivities. The seven seniors, all of whom started the match, played in their final home contest at BGSU's Cochrane Field.
Lutz gave the Spartans, now 12-5-2 on the season, the victory with her goal, which came at the 35:35 mark. Ann Cleszkowski started the play, picking up a loose ball and one-timing a pass from about 40 yards out. The ball sent Lutz in all alone on the left side, and her shot eluded BGSU sophomore goalkeeper Erika Flanders and rolled into the lower-right corner of the net. Cleszkowski drew the lone assist on the play.
The Falcons, now 8-9-1 overall, threatened several times in the second half, but could not put the ball past MSU 'keeper Stacy Heller. Heller made a total of five saves on the day.
The Falcons, who were outshot by a 5-0 count in the first half, outshot the Spartans, 8-5 in the second half. BGSU held a 5-3 advantage in shots on goal, and Flanders made two saves on the day.
"I am very proud of what the girls have done this year," said BGSU head coach Andy Richards. "They have really taken our program forward a major step, and have made us competitive with every single program we play.
"We played against a very good Michigan State team, who are having an exceptional season, and we matched them in all areas. We matched them for competitiveness, composure, the ability to build out of the back, possessing the ball -- basically, in every area but one. And, that area is the most important one: scoring goals.
"They scored one (goal), and we did not take our chances. We have talked many times about being clinical in front of the goal, and unfortunately, we did not do that today.
"But, I am very proud of the effort that everyone has put forth. This is a much more competitive and resilient team than at the beginning of the season.
"It is a shame that we don't get to build any more with those seven seniors, as they have certainly been an integral part of what we have done here. But, we look forward to Tuesday, and we hope to get a positive result at Eastern Michigan."
The Falcons now prepare for Tuesday's (Oct. 31) Mid-American Conference Tournament quarterfinal match. The seventh-seeded Falcons will take on second-seeded EMU, with start time scheduled for 2:00 p.m. at EMU's Scicluna Field.
