Bowling Green State University Athletics
Search Is On For New Goalkeeper
August 26, 2003 | Women's Soccer
Aug. 26, 2003
By JACK CARLE, Sentinel Sports Editor - Wanted: goalkeeper to fit in with experienced team looking to make a championship run.
Andy Richards didn't place that help-wanted advertisement, but finding a goalkeeper is one of the top priorities this month for the fourth-year coach of Bowling Green's women's soccer team.
The Falcons return 16 letter winners from last season's team which went 12-8-2 overall before losing in the semifinals of the Mid-American Conference tournament. The 12 victories were a school record.
"I think last year was a good indication of where our team is going," Richards said. "We're not near where we really want to be, but we are certainly on the right level.
"It's really important for us to achieve some of the same goals as last season. For example, have a winning season, go to the post-season tournament ... and then get a little lucky from there and get to the (MAC) championship game and then an NCAA tournament appearance would be great for us."
To help accomplish those goals, Richards is looking for a replacement for goalkeeper Erika Flanders.
Flanders was the backstop for the Falcons, playing every minute of every game while re-writing the goalkeepers section in Bowling Green's record book. She made 137 saves in 22 games last season and had a 1.24 goals-against-average.
"She was exceptional. She was so much better than any other MAC goalkeeper," Richards said about Flanders, who earned first-team All-MAC honors and was an all-region selection.
There are four candidates to take Flanders' spot, including two Perrysburg High School graduates. Allie Failor, a redshirt freshman, and Jenifer Kernahan, a senior, are the Perrysburg natives. Kernahan, who was recruited while in high school by several schools as a goalkeeper, is the starting catcher for BG's softball team.
The other two candidates are Ali Shingler, a redshirt sophomore, who saw action in four games in 2001 and freshman Samantha Martinez. Richards said Martinez is recovering from an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
"The spot is totally up for grabs, but we have four people competing and we hope one of them will step in and take the gloves over from Erika," Richards said. "We're excited to see who takes over that role ... The ingredients are there."
Whoever wins the starting goalkeeping spot will have experienced players in front of her, led by junior Kristy Coppes, already the school's career leader in goals scored, sophomore Samantha Meister, the 2000 MAC newcomer of the year and sophomore Julie Trundle, who scored one of the biggest goals in school history.
Coppes has scored 12 goals in each of her first two seasons with the Falcons.
"She's an out-and-out goal-scorer. That's what Kristy does and that's why we recruited her," Richards said. "She's done it consistently over two years and I don't see any reason why she won't do it over her junior and senior years."
Midfielders Trundle and Meister were second and third on the team in scoring last season with 18 and 17 points, respectively. Trundle was one of three Falcons to start all 22 matches last season. She scored the game-winner in overtime on a penalty kick in BG's 2-1 victory over Buffalo in the MAC quarterfinals. Meister started eight times and finished with six goals.
Senior Kasey Freeman, who also started all 22 matches a year ago, returns to anchor the team's defense.
The Falcons open their season playing two matches in Hawaii at the end of this month. The home opener is Sept. 5 against Eastern Illinois and the MAC opener is at home on Sept. 7 against Eastern Michigan.
Dawley Memorial Planned
Leslie Dawley will not be forgotten.
A freshman member of the Bowling Green's women's soccer team last season, Dawley collapsed and died on Nov. 5 in the match against Buffalo. Play was halted that day and the match was completed the next day.
"It's not something that you want to continually refer to, because you don't want to use it as a motivator necessarily, but at the same time it's going to be there," said BG head coach Andy Richards.
Bowling Green plays Buffalo at Cochrane Field on Oct. 17 and Richards said some sort of memorial service would be planned at that time.
A tree has been planted at Cochrane Field in memory of Dawley and a plaque and a bench are also planned. The players will be wearing Dawley's No. 18 on their practice shirts and game jerseys.
"It's a daily reminder," Richards said. "It's not something that you have to verbalize every day, but just something that's there and we can remember her.
"Hopefully the girls will realize how lucky they are to be in this position and playing collegiate soccer." - CARLE
