Bowling Green State University Athletics
Coppes, Falcons Come Alive, 5-2
September 04, 2002 | Women's Soccer
Sept. 4, 2002
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - The Bowling Green State University women's soccer team had been in a scoring slump.
Wednesday afternoon, however, the Falcons ended that slump in a big way.
The Falcons exploded offensively for a 5-2 win over the University of Detroit Mercy in a non-conference match at BGSU's Cochrane Field.
BG sophomore Kristy Coppes (pronounced: COPP-iss), the Mid-American Conference Newcomer of the Year in 2001, came off the bench to score a school record-tying three goals in the win. The hat trick, just the fourth in BGSU history, was the second for Coppes in 21 collegiate matches.
The win improved the Falcons' record to 1-1-0 on the young season, while the visiting Titans dropped to 0-2-1.
In addition to the scoring performance by Coppes, the Falcons got a four-point day from senior Susan Wallace. Wallace had a goal and a pair of assists in the win, and matched her career assist total entering the afternoon.
The Falcons got on the board first, courtesy of a pair of freshmen. Newcomers Leah Eggleton and Ashley Wentzel worked a give-and-go, which resulted in Eggleton holding the ball on the end line, just to the right of Titan goalkeeper Alisson Dube. With Coppes streaking down the center, Eggleton bluffed a short cross in her direction, then shot low and beat Dube to the near side. Wentzel drew the lone assist on the play.
The goal, coming at the 33:57 mark, broke a BGSU scoreless streak of 505:26, dating to last season. The Falcons were blanked in the last four matches of 2001 as well as the 2002 season opener.
The Titans drew the equalizer, however, as Megan Husek caught BGSU goalie Erika Flanders out of the net and blooped a 40-yard shot into the net. That unassisted goal came at the 38:31 juncture.
BGSU scored quickly in the second half, however, as Coppes completed a very efficient 120-yard "drive." After Flanders gathered in a ball, she lofted a punt directly down the center of the field. Wallace headed the ball over a pair of UDM defenders to the onrushing Coppes, whose one-touch volley sailed over a charging Dube and into the net.
Just under two minutes later, however, Mandy Jasky equalized for the visitors, putting her free kick into the lower left corner of the goal from 25 yards out.
But, a pair of Coppes goals just 1:10 apart put the match out of reach. After sophomore Jenny Berlovan lofted a right-side cross to Wallace, the Falcon senior one-timed the ball to an open Coppes, who deposited it under the 'keeper into the lower left corner of the net. Both Berlovan and Wallace drew assists on the goal, which came at 51:18.
Then, Coppes scored again, making a nifty move to elude Dube and scoring into the empty net. Freshmen Samantha Meister and Eggleton drew assists.
Less than two minutes after that goal, Wallace found the scoresheet at 54:22. Meister blasted a shot from approximately 12 yards out, forcing Dube to make a diving stop. The rebound caromed around the penalty box. Dube attempted to clear the ball from near her goal line, but Wallace blocked the ball directly into the net. The unassisted tally closed the scoring.
The Falcons set several records in the win. As mentioned, Coppes tied the school record for goals in a match, and BG's other school marks included:
The two teams combined for a total of five goals in that 7:50 span in the second half, and the match's seven goals came in a span of just 20:25.
Flanders made four saves to earn the win for the Falcons, while Dube made three stops on the day. The Falcons held an 14-11 advantage in shot attempts, including a margin of 8-6 in shots on goal.
"We are much happier with the performance today than we were on Sunday," said BG head coach Andy Richards. "A lot of people will just look at the results, but from a coach's point of view, we look more at the performance, rather than only the goals scored and the goals conceded. It looked like we started to fulfill our potential today.
"I thought Julie Trundle, Sam Meister, Leah Eggleton and Keeley Dayton -- four freshmen -- really stepped it up in the midfield. And, they also had great support from Carrie Richards, who is basically in her first year as well. She did a fantastic job.
"Kristy Coppes scored a wonderful hat trick. She had one goal of great vision, where she chipped the (ball over the) goalkeeper; one of great composure, where she took it around the 'keeper; and one of great power, where she slotted the ball home past the 'keeper's right hand. It was a great hat trick, all scored in a very short space of time."
"Leah Eggleton got us on the scoresheet with a wonderful goal of composure. She beat defenders, took it up to the goalkeeper and very calmly put it past the 'keeper. And, it was nice to see Susan Wallace get a goal for us, and add two assists as well.
"Ashley Wentzel played very well in her first collegiate start, and I was pleased with a few players, like Natalie Sampiller and Tracy Gleixner, that came in with just a few minutes left. I know that players are not happy coming off the bench, especially when it is not until late in the game, and yet those two stuck to the task very well, had a great attitude and fulfilled the roles they're playing within the team. We are trying to share playing time among a lot of players, and everyone has a part to play.
"We were pleased with the finishing today, and I thought we connected better all over the field. We played with purpose and composure. We still have a lot of major steps to make. I was a bit disappointed with the goals we conceded; I thought they were both a little sloppy and could easily be avoided.
"But, it is nice to come out with the win, nice to get some goals, and nice to be brimming with confidence as we look forward to Friday's match."
The Falcons now begin a stretch of four consecutive matches away from home, beginning with Friday's (Sept. 6) MAC opener at Toledo. That contest begins at 5:00 p.m. at UT's Scott Park Field. Then, the Brown and Orange will travel to Charleston, Ill., for a Sunday (Sept. 8) match vs. 2001 NCAA Tournament participant Eastern Illinois.
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