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Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bearcats Blank BG, 2-0
October 08, 2002 | Women's Soccer
Oct. 8, 2002
CINCINNATI, Ohio - The University of Cincinnati scored a goal in each half en route to a 2-0 victory over the Bowling Green State University women's soccer team Tuesday night (Oct. 8). The non-conference match was held before a standing-room only crowd at UC's Meyers Field.
With the win, the host Bearcats improved to 8-2-1 on the season. UC is ranked fourth in the Great Lakes Region by Soccer Buzz and received votes in the magazine's latest top-25 poll. The Falcons are now 6-6-1 on the year.
UC's shutout was the team's third in a row. Bearcat sophomore Lisa Stephens netted a goal and assisted on Amy Simonson's sixth goal of the season.
The Bearcats got things started in the ninth minute when Stephens slid a pass through two Bowling Green defenders. Simonson collected the pass and beat Falcon senior goalkeeper Erika Flanders for what would prove to be the match-winning goal. That score came at the 8:52 juncture.
Bowling Green came close to knotting the score at one later in the half, but freshman Samantha Meister's shot hit the crossbar and bounced over the goal.
Both teams fought hard, but neither was able to break the 1-0 score until Cincinnati netted an insurance goal in the 85th minute. UC's Stephens took a touch from Tianna Oliver on an indirect kick and shot a line drive into the bottom corner of the net, making the score 2-0.
UC outshot BGSU by a 19-6 margin, including a 10-3 advantage in the shots-on-goal department. UC Sophomore goalkeeper Tracy Hale made three saves to record her fourth shutout of the season. Flanders made eight stops for the Brown and Orange.
"We played exceptionally well, again," said BGSU head coach Andy Richards. "We were a little unlucky to have lost by a two-goal result. I think a one-goal game would have been a fairer result.
"I really felt we matched Cincinnati throughout the game. We played with exceptional heart and desire, but also with some great technical ability and some composure on the ball. This (UC) is a team who made the 'Sweet 16' in the NCAA last year, who was ranked in the top-25 in the nation at the beginning of the season, and who has beaten teams the likes of Florida. So, there is no disgrace in a defeat at Cincinnati, and I'm very proud of the way our team played.
"Again, I'm disappointed that we lost, of course, but I'm encouraged by the fact that we turned in a good team performance. I'm hoping that we will see the fruits of our labor. We have played very well in the last few games, and we have suffered two losses. I'm hoping that we will continue to play at this level, or even higher, and that we will get the results that we deserve."
The Falcons now return to Mid-American Conference action with a pair of weekend matches. BGSU will play a Friday (Oct. 11) contest at Central Michigan University, with match time scheduled for 3:00 p.m. Then, BGSU will play at Eastern Michigan University in a 1:00 p.m. contest Sunday (Oct. 13).
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