Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
AKRON
Wentzel, Falcons Blank Zips, 1-0
October 09, 2005 | Women's Soccer
Oct. 9, 2005
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - Senior co-captain Ashley Wentzel's goal midway through the first half proved to be the only scoring the Bowling Green State University women's soccer team would need, as the Falcons posted a 1-0 win over the University of Akron Sunday afternoon (Oct. 9). The Mid-American Conference match was held at Cochrane Field.
With the victory, the Falcons improve to 8-6-0 overall and 4-2-0 in MAC play, and BG has won three consecutive matches for the first time this season. The Zips drop to 2-10-1 and 0-6-0, respectively.
Wentzel headed home junior Lindsay Carter's corner kick at the 21:29 mark of the first half. Wentzel, who provided solid play at both ends of the field, helped senior goalkeeper Ali Shingler and the Falcon defensive corps pick up a second consecutive shutout. Shingler made five saves in the victory.
Krystin Wilson had four stops for the visitors, who also had a team save as an Akron defender cleared a Britt Anderson shot away from the goalmouth early in the contest.
Anderson's chance, which came approximately 15 minutes into the match, came off a pass from senior Molly Bremen. Bremen, just inside the penalty area, slid a roller to her right and onto the feet of Anderson. Anderson, in turn, slid a ball past Wilson that was headed for the left corner of the net. But, a UA defender was able to clear the ball off the line.
Approximately six minutes later, senior Julie Trundle lofted a shot that nearly got past Wilson, but the Zips' 'keeper was able to leap and deflect the shot over the crossbar. That shot led to the corner kick that produced the day's lone goal.
Carter's left-side corner found the head of Wentzel as she made her run through the box. The co-captain struck the ball low into the right side of the net with 21-and-a-half minutes elapsed.
The Zips had only four shot attempts in the first half, with just one coming after Wentzel's goal. In the second half, however, the Zips had a 7-2 margin in shots, including a 4-0 shots-on-goal advantage.
One of the better scoring chances for the visitors came with 11 minutes gone in the second stanza. Donna Swift uncorked a hard shot that Shingler blocked. The ball, however, caromed off the Falcon goalie, with several Zips in the vicinity, but a BG defender was there to clear the ball out of the penalty area.
UA had another flurry with just over seven minutes remaining, and Swift had another shot on goal with 5:50 left in the match, but Shingler and the Falcon defenders were equal to the task, and BG held on for the win.
For the match, the Falcons held a slim 12-11 shots advantage -- with 10 of BG's shots coming in the first half -- and a 6-5 margin in shots on goal.
"We are very pleased with the win, and another three points in the MAC," said BGSU head coach Andy Richards. "It was great to get the shutout as well.
"It was a good first half, highlighted by a great goal from Ashley Wentzel. Lindsay Carter served a super ball from the corner, and Ashley made a very determined run and a great finish. We preach to our team all the time that we have to do the little things well, and we have to continue to pay attention to the little things. I thought both the service from Lindsay and the finish from Ashley were good examples of that.
"We didn't play as well in the second half. Certainly, we faced a lot of pressure from Akron, who are a much improved team over last year, but we just did enough to hang on. But, we'll take it. We know that we didn't play at our best, but I think that's a sign of a good team, that we found a way to win on a day when we did not play our best."
The Falcons remain home for a pair of matches next weekend, beginning with Friday's (Oct. 14) contest vs. Kent State University.
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