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Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
MICHIGAN STATE
Spartans Nip Falcons, 2-1, on Late Goal
September 15, 2006 | Women's Soccer
Sept. 15, 2006
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BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - The Bowling Green State University women's soccer team put forth a spirited effort Friday afternoon (Sept. 15), but fell just short. Visiting Michigan State University got a goal with just 2:50 left in the second half for a 2-1 win over the Falcons at Cochrane Field.
With the win, the Spartans improve to 4-3-0 on the year, while the Falcons fall to 3-4-0.
MSU's Lauren Hill scored her seventh goal of the young season in the waning moments of the second half to give the visitors the win. Lauren Sinacola also scored for the Spartans.
For the Brown and Orange, freshman Stacey Lucas found the back of the net for the second time in as many home games. Classmate Colleen Kordan assisted on the play.
The game was a wide-open, end-to-end affair for most of the afternoon. The Spartans had an 18-8 advantage in total shots, with two of those shots coming in the first two minutes of the match. Maureen Pawlek had both of those tries, but was unable to beat Falcon junior Tiffany Hansen.
With just over three minutes elapsed, Lucas -- who was a thorn in the Spartans' collective side all afternoon -- played a cross, but MSU 'keeper Nicole Galas was able to corral the ball before any Falcon could get there.
Junior Danielle Cygan, who led the Falcons with three shots, had a pair in a minute's time early in the first half. She took a corner kick that very nearly curved into the net, but Galas made a lunge to punch the ball away from the near post just before it crossed the goal line.
For the Spartans, Michelle Telebar one-timed a crossing ball with nearly 16 minutes gone, and the ball just skimmed wide of the top left corner of the goal standard. Moments later, however, the visitors would get on the scoreboard.
After a BGSU foul near midfield, MSU's Kelly Amormino's free kick sailed toward the penalty area. Near the 18-yard line, Kristi Timar made a nifty header, sending the ball behind her and over a BG defender to a charging Sinacola. The Spartan freshman took the ball in stride and volleyed a hard shot toward the top of the goal. Hansen was able to leap and get a hand on it, but could not prevent the ball from deflecting into the net. The goal came at the 18:06 mark.
Neither team would score again before halftime, although each side had several chances. For the Falcons, Lucas unleashed a well-played cross with just over 12 minutes left in the half. The ball sailed through the box, but Cygan tracked it down and fired a left-side cross. Again, however, no BG player could get to the ball before Galas was able to grab it.
With five minutes left before intermission, a foul by the visitors gave the Brown and Orange a free kick just to the right of the box. Senior Lindsay Carter blooped the ball into the danger area, but Galas was the tallest player in the neighborhood, and made a leaping grab to help the Spartans take a 1-0 lead into the break.
In the second half, the teams continued to battle back and forth. MSU had several good chances in the early going, as Lauren Astry's header off of a corner kick sailed just high and a hard shot by Hill went wide just a few minutes later. For the Falcons, however, the first good chance of the half produced a tie score.
A Spartan foul gave the Falcons the ball just on the MSU side of midfield, in front of coach Andy Richards and the BGSU bench. Kordan played a long entry ball into the penalty area, over a host of players from each side. The ball bounced in the area, and Lucas slipped behind everyone to head the ball past Galas and into the net. The goal was the second of the season for the Falcon freshman.
Several minutes later, Cygan and sophomore Corbie Yee worked a pretty give-and-go, giving Cygan some space as she entered the penalty box. But, the junior slipped just as she prepared to fire a shot, resulting in a low roller that was right at Galas.
With 18 minutes left, junior Gina Rossi took a short pass from Cygan and played a left-side cross to Lucas, who was stationed on the six-yard line. Lucas, with a flick of the head, redirected the cross, and her shot hit the post, then caromed off of Galas and out of play.
Several minutes later, a long free kick by Kordan found Carter heading into the box. With a pair of defenders on her, however, the Falcon senior was unable to get a shot off. Moments later, freshman Kayleigh Zajaros fired a free kick from approximately 25 yards out, but Galas was equal to the task.
The Brown and Orange had yet another chance with 11 minutes left. After another Kordan free kick into the box, a loose ball came to Rossi at the top of the box. Her quick turnaround shot had a lot on it, but was right at Galas.
With just 2:50 left in the second half, Hill scored what proved to be the winner. A Pawlek through-ball found Hill racing past the BG defense, and she was able to bloop the ball over Hansen and into the top half of the net. The Falcons' best chance in the remainder of the contest was a corner kick just 30 seconds after the goal, but the Spartan defense was able to clear the ball out of the area and hold on to the lead.
"It was a day of very mixed emotions," said Richards. "I am extremely proud of the team's performance -- especially in the second half, when I felt we outplayed Michigan State -- but of course I am disappointed that we took a loss.
"I said before the game that we would need to play our best and get a slice of luck. And, I felt that we did one of those two things. We played our very best, but we didn't get the piece of luck that we needed. Things like the ball that hit the post, hit the 'keeper and went out for a corner; Danielle Cygan slipping just as she took that shot; the ball not quite coming down for Lindsay Carter when she was in the box; those are all some examples of the luck not going our way.
"But, having said that, I was delighted with our performance, and that is the important thing as we head ever closer to the MAC season. I was very happy to see Stacey Lucas get another goal, and it came off of a fantastic service by Colleen Kordan, who played another very good game. But, it was a great team effort, and they all deserve credit for the effort today.
"Again, we have mixed emotions today. We are disappointed with the loss, of course. But, if we continue to perform like we did today, the victories will surely come."
In Friday's match, the Spartans had 10 shots on goal to the Falcons' seven. Hansen made eight saves in net for the Falcons, while Galas had six stops at the other end of the field.
A total of 36 fouls were called in the match, with BG whistled for a season-high 20. MSU's 16 fouls were the highest total for a Falcon opponent in 2006 to date.
The Falcons close the non-conference portion of the schedule Sunday (Sept. 17), heading to Wright State for a 2:00 p.m. match. WSU is undefeated in 2006, with a 5-0-2 record after Friday's 4-2 win over Eastern Illinois.
NOTES
* Freshman Stacey Lucas has scored in each of the last two home matches ... the Huber Heights, Ohio, native scored the lone goal in last Friday's (Sept. 8) win over Youngstown State ... she leads the team with four points.
* Freshman Colleen Kordan picked up her first collegiate point with the lone assist on the Lucas goal.
* After scoring just one goal in the first four matches of the season, BGSU has scored four goals over the last three games.
* Friday's game was a rematch of a 2005 NCAA Championships first-round game ... the Falcons have met the Spartans 11 times, more than any other non-conference foe in history ... MSU is the lone team from outside the Mid-American Conference that BG has faced in every year since the program's inception in 1997.
* Friday's game marked the first time this season that a BGSU game did not end in a shutout.
