Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
BALL STATE
Ball State Snaps Falcon Winning Streak, 2-1
October 10, 2004 | Women's Soccer
Oct. 10, 2004
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - Dee Nocero's goal at the 61:42 mark snapped a tie and lifted Ball State University to a 2-1 win over the Bowling Green State University women's soccer team. The Mid-American Conference match was held Sunday afternoon (Oct. 10) at Cochrane Field.
With the win, BSU improved to 8-2-4 overall and 4-2-4 in MAC play. The Falcons, who saw a three-match winning streak come to an end, fall to 4-9-1 and 2-4-1, respectively.
All three of the goals Sunday came in a second-half span of just 3:53. Laura Bandy gave the visitors the lead at the 57:49 mark, taking a Nocero pass and converting from several yards out.
Falcon junior Britt Anderson tied the score less than three minutes later. After a BSU foul, Anderson blasted the ensuing free kick into the upper right corner of the goal from about 22 yards out. The teams were deadlocked with 29:38 left in the half.
But, Nocero broke the tie just 1:20 later, scoring unassisted on a shot from the left side of the penalty area.
After the Falcons had gone the entire 90 minutes of Friday's (Oct. 8) win over Miami without allowing a shot on goal, the Cardinals forced Ali Shingler to make a save just 44 seconds into Sunday's contest. In fact, the visitors had four shots on goal in the first 15 minutes of the match, but Shingler stopped them all.
Likewise, BSU goalkeeper Alison Becker pitched a shutout in the first half, despite several good chances by the Falcons. Early on, junior Samantha Meister's entry pass sent senior Kristy Coppes into the penalty area. Coppes, the Falcons' career scoring leader, let fly a shot, but Becker was able to tip the ball over the crossbar.
With just over 10 minutes elapsed, junior Ashley Wentzel played a crossing ball, and classmate Keeley Dayton got her head on it. The ball sailed toward the goal, but a BSU defender was able to clear it off of the goal line.
The Falcons had a flurry later in the half, but shots by Coppes and freshman Gina Rossi each were blocked. Then, off a corner kick by sophomore Lindsay Carter, junior Julie Trundle's blooping header was tipped by Becker and bounded off the crossbar.
With six minutes left in the first half, Anderson took a free kick from 40 yards out that sailed just high. The Cardinals had perhaps their best chance of the first half with just seconds remaining before the intermission, but a shot by Stacy Shull sailed high.
With 12 minutes gone in the second half, an errant clearing pass went right to Nocero, who found herself all alone. With Shingler in pursuit, Nocero streaked toward the goal, but her shot from the right side hit the side netting, just wide.
It was barely one minute later, however, that the Cardinals converted, as Nocero slid a pass across the six-yard box to an open Bandy, who deposited it in the back of the net. Anderson followed with her free-kick goal, setting the stage for Nocero's match winner.
The Falcons could not net the equalizer, despite several chances. With just under 17 minutes left, Coppes took a pass, whirled and fired from the top of the 18-yard box on the right side, but saw her shot sail high.
BG had several other offensive efforts over the final minutes, the last a header by senior Nikki Pucillo with just 13 seconds left, but Becker and the BSU defense were equal to the task.
The host Falcons held a 19-12 advantage in shot attempts, but the Cardinals had a slim 7-5 edge in shots on goal. Becker made three saves in goal, while her defense was credited with one 'team save' (on the first-half header by Dayton).
Shingler made a total of five stops in the match. Neither goalie was credited with a save in the second half. BGSU held an 11-4 advantage in corner kicks.
The Falcons take to the road for the next two matches, beginning with a Friday (Oct. 15) match at Kent State University.
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