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Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
EASTERN MICHIGAN
Eagles Blank Falcons, 2-0
October 07, 2007 | Women's Soccer
Oct. 7, 2007
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio (BGSUFalcons.com) - Visiting Eastern Michigan University scored once in each half en route to a 2-0 victory over the Bowling Green State University women's soccer team Sunday afternoon (Oct. 7). The Mid-American Conference match was held at BGSU's Cochrane Field.
With the win, the Eagles improve to 4-5-2 overall and 2-2-0 in MAC play, while dropping the Falcons to 4-7-1 and 1-3-0, respectively.
Maggie Christensen and Ashley Rodrigues scored the Eagles' goals, while Stephanie Janssens picked up assists on both markers. Rodrigues added an assist on the Christensen goal.
"We have experienced two extremely disappointing results and disappointing performances this weekend," said BGSU head coach Andy Richards. "And, as a result, the program is currently experiencing some adversity.
"I am of the belief that we have two options. We can either point fingers, apportion blame and then run away and hide; or, we can roll up our sleeves and display the determination to put things right.
"My forearms will be out on Tuesday [at BGSU's next practice], and I expect to see the forearms and rolled-up sleeves of all the players in the program."
On a day that seemed more like August than October (indeed, the weather was hot and humid enough that the referee stopped play once in each half to give the teams a water break), the Eagles got on the scoreboard with less than 15 minutes elapsed.
After nearly 10 minutes with no statistics whatsoever, the Eagles got a pair of corner kicks roughly five minutes apart. The second CK, taken by Janssens from the left corner, sailed toward the right side of the goal, where Rodrigues got a boot on it and directed it toward the left side of the net.
Rodrigues' ball pinballed off several players and fell at the feet of Christensen, who fired and scored from close range. It appeared that redshirt freshman Alexa Arsenault got a piece of the shot, and a BG defender deflected the ball on the end line, but neither Falcon player was able to keep the shot from trickling into the net.
Five minutes later, EMU's next corner kick led to a header by Katie Lozar that sailed just wide.
A minute after that, the Falcons had a solid scoring chance, courtesy of junior Corbie Yee. Just moments after entering the match, Yee stole the ball from an EMU backliner near the end line and quickly fired a low cross. The pass found classmate Kristin McDonald, who released a one-time shot, but it was wide right.
The Eagles had several more chances before halftime, with perhaps the best chance coming from Tessa Acker. Acker fired a high, hard shot from about 25 yards out, but Arsenault was able to time her leap and tip the ball over the crossbar. The Eagles took a one-goal lead into the intermission.
In the second half, the visitors again struck relatively quickly. Just over six minutes into the period, Janssens played a right-side entry ball to Rodrigues, who had gotten behind the last line of defense. Rodrigues had time to settle the ball and place it neatly into the right side of the goal, as Arsenault had no chance to come out and cut down the angle.
Just 30 seconds later, Christensen had a good chance to add to the lead, but Arsenault made a nifty diving save to thwart that opportunity.
Midway through the half, the Falcons put together a solid scoring chance. Soph Faith Juillerat stole the ball and passed to freshman Jackie Tamerlano. Tamerlano dribbled around several Eagle defenders and played a left-side cross to sophomore Carolyn Nesline. Nesline got a great deal of force behind her header try, but the shot was just wide left.
Five minutes later, senior Rachael Ross fired a hard shot on goal, but EMU 'keeper Maggie Manville was able to make the save.
At the other end, Eastern's Paige Sheridan worked a give-and-go with Acker, but Arsenault was able to come off her line and make a diving save on Sheridan's shot attempt.
The Falcons' best chance of the day came with just over seven minutes remaining in the second half. Senior Danielle Cygan slid a pass to junior Brianne Eisenhard, who blasted a shot from 25-to-30 yards out. The shot drilled the crossbar and bounced back so hard that charging sophomore Jen Czapka had no time to settle the rebound. Czapka was able to make contact with the ball, but her shot went high of the target.
Manville was able to preserve the complete-game shutout, and made four saves in goal to earn the win for the visitors. For the Falcons, Arsenault made four saves, including several spectacular stops, on the day.
The Eagles held narrow advantages of 10-9 in total shots and 6-4 in shots on goal.
The Falcons now take to the road for the next four matches, beginning with a Friday (Oct. 12) match at Kent State University.
FALCON NOTES
* Sophomore Kaitlyn Kobe made her first career start in the game, while junior Kristin McDonald made her first start of the season and the fifth of her career.
* Redshirt freshman Alexa Arsenault saw her first-ever playing time at Cochrane Field ... Arsenault sat out all of last season, and had played in three games this season prior to Sunday ... all three previous contests had come on the road, against Purdue, Michigan State and Youngstown State.
* Eastern Michigan's win snapped a BGSU two-game winning streak in the al-time series between the teams, and the Eagles now hold a narrow 7-6-1 series lead.
* The Falcons' 1-3 start in MAC play marks the team's worst record through four conference games since 2004 ... that season, the Brown and Orange was 0-3-1 after losses to Central Michigan and Eastern Michigan in the second weekend of the conference season ... that '04 team, however, rallied to finish 5-5-2 in MAC action, earning the eighth and final seed for the MAC Tournament ... then, the Falcons proceeded to roll through the conference tourney, picking up three wins and the league tournament title ... overall, the 2004 Falcons had a record of 1-8-1 after that loss to EMU, before righting the ship and advancing to the NCAA Championships for the first time in program history.
