Bowling Green State University Athletics
Soccer Kicks into Transition Gear
August 22, 2006 | Women's Soccer
Aug. 22, 2006
By JACK CARLE, Sentinel Sports Editor - It's going to be a season of transition for Bowling Green's women's soccer team after losing nine seniors from the school's second-straight NCAA tournament team.
The departed senior group helped produce 44 wins over their career, one Mid-American Conference regular season championship and two MAC tournament titles and subsequent NCAA berths.
Head coach Andy Richards, who is entering his seventh season with the Falcons, welcomes the challenge.
"It's a great period for us; a lot of new faces for everyone to get used to," said Richards, who is 61-59-12 as BG's head coach, including a 14-7-2 mark in 2005. "Last year was so fantastic. So this is a good time to transition. I think a lot of other teams have written us off all ready.
"This is why you coach, because you want to have the challenge ... It's exciting. I'm really looking forward to building the team up again."
There are 12 returnees from last season, including 10 letter winners, and 12 new players, including 11 freshmen.
"We have some great talent coming back and we have built a lot of tradition within the program that carries on, regardless of who is in the program," Richards said. "Obviously the experience of winning and going to the (MAC) championship game, those memories live on and that's what inspires people.
"These kids coming in are talented," he added. "They are just as talented as (Samantha) Meister, (Julie) Trundle and (Leah) Eggleton were when they came in as freshman. But they will need a little bit of time to develop. So our focus is going to be to develop as a team and their bonding as individuals."
As for the new players, Richards said he thinks there are "three or four kids in that group who could make an impact straight-away and some others, with time, will blend in nicely.
"I'm sure there is a kid here in this freshmen group who's going to surprise us and step up and play a lot of games," he added.
Heading the list of returning players are Lindsay Carter, the only senior on the team; junior defender Janie Babich; and sophomores Corbie Yee, who was the MAC freshman of the year, and Susan Hunter, who played well on defense.
Carter played in all 23 matches with 20 starts in 2005 and finished with four goals and two assists. She has played in the MAC tournament championship game in each of her three years at Bowling Green.
"Lindsay Carter is a tremendous kid; she has a great personality. She has played a lot of different positions for us," Richards said.
Carter and Babich are the team's co-captains this season.
"Lindsay is more of a leader by example. Janie is a little bit more vocal. I'm thinking those two will provide a nice balance and between them provide great leadership," Richards said.
Babich and Hunter, who each made 22 starts in 2005, provide experience at defender along with Danielle Cygan, a junior who made nine starts a year ago.
"I think you will see a lot of determination from her. She will probably slide in as our left-side defender," Richards said about Cygan.
Yee returns at forward after scoring six goals and adding three assists. When BG went 9-0-2, after starting the season 5-6, Yee led the team with 13 points, including five goals, during unbeaten streak.
Freshman Stacey Lucas, from Huber Heights Wayne, is a candidate to play at forward as is sophomore Kristin McDonald, who played well in the spring, Richards said.
Carter could be in the midfield while freshman Faith Juillerat could also be a factor there.
For his first six years at Bowling Green, Richards has had only two starting goalkeepers -- Erika Flanders and Ali Shingler -- each for three years. The two combined for over 13,000 minutes in goal and top the school's career list in most categories.
"Now that position is totally up for grabs," Richards said.
Junior Tiffany Hansen, a transfer from the University of Louisville, sophomore Christy Zabek, who saw action in three matches a year ago, and freshman Alexa Arsenault from Canada, are the three goalies looking for playing time.
"We really have no idea who going to take it," Richards said about the starting spot. "I'm excited about that competition."
