Bowling Green State University Athletics
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Falcons Advance to Final: BGSU to Play in MAC Tournament Championship
November 09, 2007 | Women's Soccer
Nov. 9, 2007
MUNCIE, Ind. - The Bowling Green State University women's soccer team has advanced to the championship game of the Mid-American Conference Tournament for the fourth time in five years. The Falcons tied Ball State, 0-0, in semifinal-round action on the Cardinals' home field Friday afternoon (Nov. 9), but BGSU advanced past the hosts via penalty kicks.
Updated MAC Tournament Bracket in PDF Format
The Falcons, seeded fourth for the eight-team MAC Tournament, now advance to meet the second-seeded University of Toledo in Sunday's (Nov. 11) championship match, beginning at 1:00 p.m. at the Ball State Soccer Field. The winner of that match will earn the MAC's automatic bid to the NCAA Championships.
BGSU is now 10-9-2 on the season, while the Cardinals, the tournament's top seed, see their tournament run come to an end at 13-5-2.
"We were involved in another extremely exciting and nail-biting game today, as it seems we always are lately," said BGSU head coach Andy Richards. "We were fortunate enough to come out on the positive side of the results, after having defended very well throughout the game.
"The young women did a tremendous job, both in regulation and in the overtimes, to keep a clear head even though they were put under a lot of pressure. That continued into the penalty shootout."
Prior to the penalty-kick phase, Richards and his staff made a substitution in goal. Redshirt freshman Alexa Arsenault picked up the shutout with 110 minutes of play in regulation and the two overtimes, but junior Christy Zabek came in to play goalie for the PKs. Zabek made her coaching staff look like geniuses, stopping two of the three PKs that she faced.
Sophomore Colleen Kordan opened the penalty-kick phase by converting her try, before Zabek made a save of Lindsay Martin's shot. In the second round, junior Brianne Eisenhard's kick was true, and BSU's Jen Vilkoski's attempt glanced off the outside of the goalpost.
Falcon senior Danielle Cygan made her PK, meaning that the Cardinals' backs were against the wall. When Zabek made a save of Annie Aiello's attempt, the Falcons had clinched a trip to Sunday's final.
"I am absolutely delighted for Christy Zabek," said Richards. "We had full confidence in her as a penalty-kick stopper, and she proved us right by saving two out of the three that she faced.
"Today is a great day, and we are thrilled to be back in the MAC's championship game. Today's result is a credit to everyone involved in the program, and we look forward to Sunday's game."
Sunday's opponent, Toledo, also played 110 scoreless minutes of soccer on Friday, before advancing via PKs. The Rockets battled third-seeded Northern Illinois to a 0-0 standoff, but advanced by a 4-3 count in the penalty-kick phase.
BOWLING GREEN 0, BALL STATE 0
(BGSU advances, 3-0, on PKs)
Penalty-kick phase...
* BGSU - #5 Colleen Kordan - GOAL
* BSU -- #24 Lindsay Martin - NO GOAL (Saved)
* BGSU - #16 Brianne Eisenhard - GOAL
* BSU -- #15 Jen Vilkoski - NO GOAL (Wide left)
* BGSU - #17 Danielle Cygan - GOAL
* BSU -- #2 Annie Aiello - NO GOAL (Saved)
Goalkeepers: BGSU - Christy Zabek; BSU - Rachael Murphy
NOTES
* The Falcons advance to the MAC Tournament's championship match for the fifth time in school history, and the fourth time in the last five seasons ... all five trips have come during the eight-year Andy Richards Era, as BG has made the final game in 2000, 2003, 2004 and 2005, in addition to 2007.
* The Falcons' five trips to the final is the highest total in MAC history ... Miami has made four appearances in the MAC Tournament's championship match, while Northern Illinois has made three.
* Sunday's match will pit the two teams that have combined for the last three MAC Tournament titles ... BGSU won the league tourney crown in both 2004 and 2005, while Toledo captured the championship in 2006.
* Andy Richards, not surprisingly, now has more trips to the finals than any coach in MAC women's soccer history ... as mentioned, the Falcons will make a fifth trip to the championship under Richards, moving him past Miami's Bobby Kramig (four).
* BGSU has advanced on all four occasions that a MAC Tournament match required penalty kicks ... the Falcons used the PK phase to move past Central Michigan in the 2003 semifinals, as well as in the quarterfinal (Toledo) and championship (Miami) rounds of the 2005 league tournament.
* The Falcons will meet Toledo for the third consecutive season in the MAC Tournament ... BG, as mentioned, advanced past UT via PKs in the quarterfinal round of the 2005 tournament ... last season, the Rockets defeated the Falcons, 3-0, in the quarterfinals.
* The Falcons are now 17-14-18 all-time in overtime matches, and BG is now 7-1-9 in road OT games.
* BGSU has now played eight OT matches in 2007 to date, tying the school record ... BG is now 3-3-2 in overtime this season.
* Both of the Falcons' 2007 games with Ball State required overtime ... the Cardinals won a 3-2 decision on Oct. 19 at the Ball State Soccer Field ... the Falcons have not lost since that time, winning five-straight games before Friday's tie.
* Redshirt freshman Alexa Arsenault's shutout on Friday was her sixth of the season, just one shy of the school record ... Erika Flanders had seven shutouts in 2002, while Ali Shingler also had seven in the 2005 season.
