Bowling Green State University Athletics
Freshmen Flourish As Falcons Fly Past Phoenix
August 31, 2001 | Women's Soccer
Aug. 31, 2001
GREEN BAY, Wis. - A pair of freshman found the back of the net as the Bowling Green State University women's soccer team recorded a 2-0 victory over the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Friday night (Aug. 31). The match, the 2001 regular season-opener for both teams, was held at Phoenix Field.
Kristy Coppes and Jessica Sadler, each playing in their first collegiate match, scored goals less than five minutes apart midway through the first half for the Brown and Orange. Junior Erika Flanders made nine saves to earn the shutout.
The win kept the Falcons' record in season openers perfect. BGSU, a fifth-year program, has won the opening match in every season in program history.
Coppes got the visitors on the board in the 22nd minute. Coppes won a challenge 25 yards out and maneuvered past UWGB goalkeeper Nora Kaitfors, placing the ball into an open net at the 21:51 mark. Senior Beth Wechsler was credited with an assist on the goal.
Sadler, like Coppes, scored her first collegiate marker, finding the back of the net at 26:35. Junior Heidi Williams took a free kick, set 20 yards out to the right of the goal, but her attempt was blocked by the Phoenix wall. UWGB was unable to clear the ball, and Sadler drilled a 20-yard shot that brushed under the crossbar.
The two goals were the only shots credited to the Falcons in the first half. UWGB held a 9-2 advantage in first-half shots and a 17-10 margin for the match.
The Phoenix had several opportunities to spoil the shutout bid in the second stanza. Angie Baratto had a sliding shot attempt in the 86th minute that went just wide. Two minutes later, Green Bay's Laura Beyer fired a shot that was ticketed toward the upper left corner, but Flanders made the stop to preserve the shutout, the seventh of her career.
A total of five freshmen were in the starting lineup for the Brown and Orange. Flanders made nine saves in the win, while the hosts' Kaitfors had two saves.
"We played against a pretty good, very organized and disciplined Green Bay team," said head coach Andy Richards. "They came at us very hard and put us under an immense amount of pressure early in the game.
"But, I was very proud of the team, because they weathered the storm, managed to play through that and really got us going after about 10 or 15 minutes.
"Kristy's goal was an individual piece of magic. Beth played the ball in (to Coppes). She turned right, put the ball round the corner and slotted the ball left-footed into an empty net. It's a goal that has become somewhat of a trademark for Kristy in the very, very early stages of her career."
Coppes had scored a total of four goals in three previous contests -- the alumni match, an intrasquad scrimmage and the 2-1 exhibition win over Detroit.
"Jessica, after a blocked free kick a few minutes later, stepped up and smacked the ball into the top left-hand corner of the goal with her left foot. That was followed by a wonderful celebration."
Richards was pleased with his team's overall effort, and especially the play of the defensive corps.
"We were very strong in the back," he said. "The defensive unit was excellent. Kacey Freeman had a good game, as did Heidi Williams once again.
"Beth Rieman and Beth Wechsler also seem to have a good rapport in the back. Beth, Beth, Kacey and Heidi have really become a solid unit.
"We also got some big pluses off the bench. Michelle Hoyng and Annmarie Aparo came in and played very well, and Katie Piening had a great effort as well. She was unlucky to hit the post with a shot.
"If you look at the statistics, you may think we were lucky to win, but we really played well and got some great efforts. There wasn't anybody who had a bad game and, as I said, the people who came off the bench really helped us."
The Falcons will remain on the road for a Sunday (Sept. 2) morning tilt at Michigan State University. Kickoff is set for 11:00 a.m. at the Spartans' Old College Field.
