Bowling Green State University Athletics
Women's Soccer Completes Successful Season
November 08, 2000 | Women's Soccer
Nov. 8, 2000
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - The Bowling Green State University women's soccer team, after advancing all the way to the championship match of the Mid-American Conference Tournament, saw the season come to an end with a 1-0 double-overtime loss to Miami University in Sunday's (Nov. 5) title contest. The Falcons end the season with an overall record of 10-10-1, and BGSU went 5-5-1 in MAC regular-season play.
HEAD COACH ANDY RICHARDS: Andy Richards has completed his first season as BGSU's head coach. Richards, who came to BG after five years as an assistant coach at Oregon State University, was hired in April.
Ashlee Orr was named the BGSU assistant coach in late August.
THE WEEK THAT WAS: The Falcons, seeded seventh for the MAC Tournament, posted a pair of upsets to advance to the championship match.
In the quarterfinal round last Tuesday (Oct. 31), BGSU chalked up a 2-1 road win over second-seeded Eastern Michigan. The loss broke a seven-match EMU win streak. Senior Ashley Enser got the Falcons on the board with 11:51 left in the first half, as she headed home a cross from sophomore Tracy Gleixner. Sophomore Jill Conover also assisted on the goal. The score remained 1-0 until the late stages. With just 1:31 left, Conover took an errant EMU pass and blasted a shot just below the crossbar. EMU would cut the lead in half just 29 seconds later, but the Falcons held the Eagles off the scoreboard for the final minute to preserve the win. Sophomore Erika Flanders made seven saves to earn the win.
In Friday's (Nov. 3) semifinal round at Buffalo, the Falcons topped sixth-seeded Western Michigan by a 2-1 count. Gleixner started the scoring at the 33:36 mark, with senior Janice Mentrup drawing the assist. WMU tied the score at 1-1 late in the first half, but sophomore Susan Wallace scored what would prove to be the winning goal, heading in a cross from senior Michelle Lisy with just under 15 minutes left in the second half. Flanders was not called upon to make a save, as BGSU held a 19-2 margin in shot attempts.
BGSU's season came to an end in Sunday's (Nov. 5) final, as Miami scored the winning goal at the 111:57 mark. Flanders made 10 saves in the championship match, several of the spectacular variety.
THREE FALCONS ON ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM: A trio of BGSU players were named to the MAC's All-Tournament Team. Sophomore goalkeeper Erika Flanders earned the honor, as did senior Stephanie Heller and junior Beth Wechsler. Each of the three players earned all-tourney honors for the first time in their careers.
The Falcon trio was joined on the league's all-tourney squad by Miami's Laura Degelleke, Maggie Lyon, Katie Milligan and Danielle Berkemeier, Western Michigan's Kelly Thack and Kathryn Link, and Buffalo's Elizabeth Pfeffer and Nicole Olszewski.
REGULAR-SEASON HONORS, TOO: A pair of Falcons were selected to the All-MAC Team. Senior Ashley Enser and junior Beth Wechsler each earned all-league second-team honors. Enser was accorded All-MAC laurels for the first time in her career, while Wechsler also earned all-league second-team honors as a freshman in 1998.
BGSU'S MAC TOURNAMENT HISTORY: The Falcons were appearing in the MAC Tournament for the second time in the team's four years, and BG now has an overall record of 3-2-0 in league tourney play. BGSU also qualified in 1998, as the sixth seed, and travelled to #3 EMU for the quarterfinal round.
In that contest, the Falcons posted a 1-0 victory, as Cari Combs scored the lone goal off an Autumn Harris through-ball at the 71:51 mark. Michelle Lisy made 10 saves in net to earn the shutout in the upset win.
The Falcons then faced second-seeded Northern Illinois in the semifinal round in Athens, Ohio. BGSU took the lead at the 28:19 mark on a Leah Rosner goal. But, the Huskies tied the match with just 8:22 left in regulation, then scored at the 117:58 mark of the second overtime stanza. The Falcons could not score in the remaining 2:02 (the overtime was not sudden death), and the Huskies captured the win en route to the MAC Tournament title. Lisy again made 10 saves in goal, and she was joined by Rosner on the all-tourney team.
MAC TOURNAMENT HISTORY (3-2):
1997 did not qualify
1998 QF - def. Eastern Michigan, 1-0
SF - lost to Northern Illinois, 2-1 (OT)
1999 did not qualify
2000 QF - def. Eastern Michigan, 2-1
SF - def. Western Michigan, 2-1
Champ. - lost to Miami, 1-0 (2-OT)
FALCON PLAYER NOTES
Annmarie Aparo - junior from Victor, N.Y. ... played in four matches off the bench ... saw action against St. Bonaventure, Central Michigan, Miami and UW-Green Bay ... did not register a point.
Ashley Beel - freshman from Hamilton, Ohio ... saw action in three matches, starting one ... made her first collegiate start in the regular-season Miami match ... had six saves in that match ... saw action off the bench against both Detroit and Northern Illinois ... on the year, had a record of 0-1 with a 4.02 goals-against average ... in 134 minutes of action, made six saves on the season.
Leslie Buse - senior from Cincinnati, Ohio ... played in five matches ... lone start came against Michigan State in the regular-season final‚ ... also played against St. Bonaventure, Toledo, Miami and UW-Green Bay ... did not register a point.
Libby Christensen - junior from Corvallis, Ore. ... a transfer from Oregon State, she suffered an injury in preseason practice and sat out the season.
Jill Conover - sophomore from Grand Island, N.Y. ... led the Falcons in scoring for the second-straight season, with 21 points ... had a team-high six goals and nine assists ... the assist total broke her own seasonal record ... played in 20 matches, starting 19 ... had four-point matches (goal and two assists) against both Central Michigan and UW-Green Bay ... had a goal and an assist in the Bucknell match, as well as in the MAC Tournament win at Eastern Michigan ... also scored vs. Detroit and Marshall ... also assisted against Toledo, EMU (regular-season match) and Kent State ... broke her leg in the closing seconds of the MAC tourney semifinal, and missed the championship match.
Meredith Davis - junior from Gahanna, Ohio ... played in 15 matches, starting seven ... lone point came vs. Bucknell ... assisted on the winning goal in that match ... started six consecutive matches from Sept. 9-29, then came off the bench for the next five contests ... missed the final weekend of the regular season due to an injury.
Ashley Enser - senior tri-captain from Toledo, Ohio ... an All-MAC Second-Team selection ... played in 19 matches, starting each one ... missed the final two matches of the season due to a concussion suffered in the league tourney quarterfinal vs. EMU ... had started every match in the history of the program to that point ... tied for third on the team with 11 points ... scored goals vs. Detroit and Miami during the regular season, as well as in that EMU tourney match ... had five assists to rank third on the team ... assisted vs. UDM, Bucknell, Central Michigan, Ball State and UW-Green Bay.
Lindsay Enser - freshman from Toledo, Ohio ... played in 19 matches, starting 17 ... did not play in the first two matches of the year, then came off the bench in the season's third contest ... after that, moved into the starting lineup for good (with the exception of "Senior Day") ... started all 11 MAC regular-season contests as well as each league tournament match ... did not register a point on the season.
Jamie Eshleman - senior from Vacaville, Calif. ... saw action in 20 contests ... made six starts, including the MAC Tournament final ... had a pair of goals, coming in back-to-back matches vs. Kent State and UW-Green Bay ... her lone assist came against Northern Illinois ... other starts came vs. St. Bonaventure, Detroit, UNLV, UWGB and Michigan State.
Erika Flanders - sophomore from Mason, Ohio ... started 20 of the Falcons' 21 contests in goal ... had a 10-9-1 record and a school-record goals-against average of 1.37 ... also set BG seasonal records for saves (118), wins and shutouts (four) ... holds the career records in each of those categories ... named to the MAC All-Tournament team ... had double-digit save totals four times, including 10 saves in the league title match vs. Miami ... saved a penalty-kick attempt in the first EMU victory ... had a shutout in that match, and also blanked St. Bonaventure, Ball State and Marshall.
Kasey Freeman - freshman from Middletown, Ohio ... played in 11 matches, making six starts ... started the first three contests of the year ... had moved back into the starting lineup, starting three-straight contests to end the MAC regular-season schedule ... after being injured in the Ohio match, played in two more contests before surgery ended her season ... sat out the last five matches.
Tracy Gleixner - redshirt sophomore from Hoffman Estates, Ill. ... ranked second on the team with 13 points ... also second with five goals ... scored the overtime match-winner at Eastern Michigan (regular-season) ... scored the first goal of the match in the league tourney semifinals vs. Western Michigan ... also scored against Detroit, UNLV and Central Michigan ... those three goals came on her first three shot attempts of the season ... had assists vs. Ball State, UWGB and EMU (MAC Tournament match) ... played in 19 matches, making five starts.
Adrienne Graessle - junior from Morrow, Ohio ... saw action in five matches off the bench ... played against St. Bonaventure, Bucknell, Miami (regular season), UW-Green Bay and Michigan State ... did not register a point ... a transfer from Samford University.
Autumn Harris - senior from Findlay, Ohio ... hampered by injuries for much of the season ... still played in nine matches, starting seven ... did not register a point ... made three consecutive starts in the heart of the MAC schedule ... also started the final two contests of the regular season.
Stephanie Heller - senior from Loveland, Ohio ... bothered by an injury early in the season, but came back to play the final 19 matches ... made 16 starts ... named to the MAC All-Tournament Team ... had six points on the season ... scored the match-winning goal at Toledo ... other goal came vs. Ball State ... had assists in back-to-back matches vs. Kent State and UW-Green Bay.
Leslie Hepfinger - junior from Mason, Ohio ... one of three Falcons to start every match ... had six points on the year ... both of her goals proved to be match winners, against St. Bonaventure and Ball State ... also had an assist vs. BSU, and had her other assist against Miami.
Sara Leary - freshman from Strongsville, Ohio ... played in 15 contests, starting five ... had one point on the year, an assist at Detroit ... started four consecutive matches (including three wins) at the outset of the MAC campaign ... also started the MAC Tournament semifinal match vs. Western Michigan.
Michelle Lisy - senior tri-captain from Strongsville, Ohio ... played in 20 matches, starting 16 ... missed the Toledo match due to injury ... had 10 points on the year to rank fifth on the squad ... her four goals came vs. Bucknell, Northern Illinois, Buffalo and UW-Green Bay ... had an assist on the match-winning goal vs. Western Michigan in the league tourney semifinal ... also had an assist against Bucknell ... will leave BGSU as the school's career scoring leader.
Janice Mentrup - senior tri-captain from Cincinnati, Ohio ... one of three Falcons to start all 21 matches ... the only player to have started every match in the history of the program (78) ... tied for third on the team with 11 points ... her two goals included the match winner against Central Michigan ... also scored vs. Ball State, adding an assist ... had seven assists to rank second on the team ... others came vs. Detroit (two), Eastern Michigan, Buffalo, UW-Green Bay and Western Michigan (tournament) ... assisted on the match-winning goal three times ... the school's career assist leader, with 23.
Mandy Smith - junior from Middletown, Ohio ... one of just three Falcons to start all 21 matches ... had five points on the year ... her lone goal came in the regular-season match vs. Western Michigan ... had assists against Detroit, Marshall and in the second WMU meeting.
Susan Wallace - played in 16 matches, starting three ... scored six points on the season ... her three goals included the match-winning tally in the MAC Tournament semifinal win over Western Michigan ... scored an overtime match winner vs. Bucknell ... other goal came in the season opener against St. Bonaventure ... made starts vs. Bucknell, Central Michigan and Miami, with the latter start coming in the league tournament championship.
Beth Wechsler - named to the All-MAC Second Team as well as to the league's all-tournament team ... played in 20 matches, starting them all ... had six points on the year ... scored goals against both Toledo and Northern Illinois ... had assists vs. Detroit and Marshall, with the latter coming on the match-winning score ... was 2-for-2 in penalty kicks.
Heidi Williams - saw action in two matches off the bench ... made appearances against both Miami (regular season) and UW-Green Bay ... played over 60 minutes in the latter match.
FLANDERS (NEARLY) FLAWLESS: Sophomore goalkeeper Erika Flanders had a solid year, and she was at her best in the season's late going. Flanders had seven saves in the MAC Tournament quarterfinal (vs. Eastern Michigan) and she made 10 stops in the championship match (vs. Miami).
Flanders set BGSU seasonal records for wins (10), saves (118), shutouts (four) and goals-against average (1.37). She holds the career marks in all of those categories as well, with 15 wins, 209 saves, six shutouts and a 1.69 GAA.
NOTING THE FALCONS: BGSU's win over Eastern Michigan in the MAC Tournament's quarterfinal round enabled the team to break the school record for victories in a season ... the 2000 team finished with 10 wins, breaking the record of the 1998 squad (8-11-1) ... this year's team doubled last year's win total, as BG went 5-11-3 in 1999 ... sophomore Jill Conover, despite missing the MAC Tournament final with a broken leg suffered in the waning seconds of the semifinal match, led the team in goals (six), assists (nine) and points (21) ... she set a new record for assists in a season, breaking her own record of eight ... Conover already ranks second on the BGSU career list with 17 assists ... interestingly, BGSU set a school record for overall wins despite posting the fewest home victories in a season in history ... BG went 3-5-0 at Cochrane Field this year ... the previous three Falcon teams each won four matches at home ... the 2000 Falcons won seven matches away from home, going 4-3-1 in road contests and 3-2 in neutral-site matches ... BGSU's road record included a 4-1-1 mark against MAC teams ... since the MAC instituted the sport of women's soccer for the 1997 season, Eastern Michigan has posted a 19-3-3 home record against league schools (regular season and tournament) ... all three losses have come at the hands of the Falcons ... BG played a total of four matches in 2000 against the teams seeded first (Buffalo), second (EMU) and third (Central Michigan), and BG posted a 3-0-1 record in those matches ... in addition to Conover, another Falcon starter missed the MAC Tournament's championship ... senior Ashley Enser was injured early in the second half of the EMU match, when she was struck in the face by a shot attempt ... she missed each of the two matches in Buffalo ... prior to that, she had started every match in program history ... senior Michelle Lisy scored a goal against UWGB, upping her school-record total to 18 career goals ... sophomore Erika Flanders made 10 saves vs. Miami in the league tourney title match, moving her season total to 118 ... she broke her own single-season mark of 91, set last year, and she holds the record with 209 career saves ... BGSU's seven seniors - Leslie Buse, Ashley Enser, Jamie Eshleman, Autumn Harris, Stephanie Heller, Lisy and Janice Mentrup - have completed their respective Falcon careers ... the group was honored prior to the Michigan State match in "Senior Day" festivities ... BGSU's 5-5-1 MAC record is the school's best ever ... the previous best was a 4-5-1 mark in 1998 ... three players - Mentrup and juniors Leslie Hepfinger and Mandy Smith - started every match this season ... Mentrup is the only player to have started all 78 contests in the history of the program ... Ashley Enser started the first 76 before missing the final two matches of the 2000 season due to injury ... Conover, BGSU's leading scorer this year with 21 points, also led the Falcons in league play ... she had nine points in league action, followed by Mentrup with seven.
BGSU CAREER SCORING LEADERS
(through the 2000 season)
Points G- A=Pts. Michelle Lisy 18-12=48 Tracy Gleixner 17- 8=42 Jill Conover 12-17=41 Janice Mentrup 7-23=37 Stephanie Heller 10- 9=29 Krista Shamblin 10- 4=24 Beth Wechsler 5-13=23 Ashley Enser 6- 9=21 Autumn Harris 7- 4=18 Mandy Smith 3- 8=14 Desiree Erb 5- 4=14Goals Assists Michelle Lisy 18 Janice Mentrup 23 Tracy Gleixner 17 Jill Conover 17 Jill Conover 12 Beth Wechsler 13 Stephanie Heller 10 Michelle Lisy 12 Krista Shamblin 10 Ashley Enser 9 Janice Mentrup 7 Stephanie Heller 9 Autumn Harris 7 Tracy Gleixner 8 Mandy Smith 8
MAC STANDINGS
Team (Overall) MAC Pts. Buffalo (14-6-1) 8-2-1 25 Eastern Michigan (11-7-2) 8-3-0 24 Central Michigan (10-10-0) 7-4-0 21 Miami (13-7-0) 7-4-0 21 Ohio (10-9-0) 7-4-0 21 Western Michigan (10-9-2) 5-4-2 17 Bowling Green (10-10-1) 5-5-1 16 Toledo (5-12-1) 4-6-1 13 Kent State (8-8-1) 4-7-0 12 Marshall (8-10-1) 3-7-1 10 Northern Illinois (4-14-1) 2-8-1 7 Ball State (7-10-2) 2-8-1 7 (standings as of Tuesday morning, Nov. 7)
MAC TOURNAMENT RESULTS
MAC TOURNAMENT QUARTERFINALS Tuesday, Oct. 31 (at campus sites) at #1 Buffalo 2, #8 Toledo 0 #7 Bowling Green 2, at #2 Eastern Michigan 1 #6 Western Michigan 2, at #3 Central Michigan 1 at #4 Miami 1, #5 Ohio 0MAC TOURNAMENT SEMIFINALS Friday, Nov. 3 (at Buffalo, N.Y.) #7 Bowling Green 2, #6 Western Michigan 1 #4 Miami 2, at #1 Buffalo 0
MAC TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONSHIP Sunday, Nov. 5 (at Buffalo, N.Y.) #4 Miami 1, #7 Bowling Green 0 (2-OT)
NCAA TOURNAMENT FIRST ROUNDWednesday, Nov. 8 (at Ann Arbor, Mich.)
Miami at Michigan, 1:00
