Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
EASTERN ILLINOIS
Lucas Strikes Twice as Falcons Top EIU, 2-1
September 02, 2007 | Women's Soccer
Sept. 2, 2007
Final Stats |
Photo Gallery 
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - Sophomore Stacey Lucas scored a pair of first-half goals as the Bowling Green State University women's soccer team opened the home portion of the schedule with a 2-1 win over Eastern Illinois University Sunday afternoon (Sept. 2). The non-conference match was held at a sun-drenched Cochrane Field.
With the win, the Falcons improve to 1-1-0 on the young season, while dropping the Panthers to 1-1-0.
Junior Christy Zabek played the entire match in goal, making a total of five saves to earn the win.
 Stacey Lucas heads upfield during Sunday's match (photo by Seth Iiames)  |
|
Lucas recorded the first multiple-goal game of her young career. In fact, she matched her career goals total entering the contest. The Huber Heights, Ohio native had six points in 2006, on two goals and two assists.
The Panthers controlled the play in the early going. After BG junior Corbie Yee fired a shot on goal in the first half-minute of the game, the visitors held possession for most of the next 20 minutes. EIU had three corner kicks within the first seven minutes, and had six of the game's next seven shot attempts.
With just two-and-a-half minutes gone, the Panthers' Rachel Hamilton's header glanced off the top of the crossbar and out of play. Several minutes later, a shot by Kellie Floyd was deflected by a lunging BG defender, and only an acrobatic save by Zabek kept the game scoreless.
The Panthers had an offensive flurry in the game's 16th minute, as Michelle Steinhaus sandwiched two shots around an offering by Danielle Flynn, but Zabek and the Falcon defense were up to the task. Zabek saved two of the shots, knocking the final shot out of danger for the time being.
Then, seemingly out of nowhere, the Falcons struck. Lucas took the ball down the right side of the field and played a centering ball, which eluded EIU goalkeeper Jenny Williams and hit the left-side netting. BG held a 1-0 lead in the 22nd minute.
Lucas struck again just over 12 minutes later. Freshman Meagan Moran gained possession of the ball near the top of the 18-yard box, and played a ball to Lucas, who was charging in from the right side. Lucas fired a shot from close range, and Williams was able to deflect it, but could not stop it from going into the net. Moran drew the assist on the play.
BGSU took that 2-0 lead into halftime, but the Panthers cut the lead in half in the game's 55th minute. Hamilton slid a right-side cross through the penalty area, and the pass found an open Alexis Miller. Zabek had no chance to stop the shot, and the visitors were on the scoreboard.
Less than a minute after the goal, Steinhaus found herself with a grade-A scoring opportunity, as the ball came to the Panther striker in the box. But, her one-time effort was right at Zabek, who was able to make the stop.
The Falcons had several chances to regain the two-goal lead, but just missed. Midway through the half, senior Danielle Cygan's cross found sophomore Samantha Bland, but Bland's redirection was just wide left. In the game's final 10 minutes, soph Carolyn Nesline played a cross to freshman Jackie Tamerlano, but EIU 'keeper Kaylin Lorbert was able to save Tamerlano's offering.
The Falcons were able to keep possession of the ball for most of the final 10 minutes, and in fact, BG's defense did not let the Panthers take a shot in the final 30-plus minutes.
"Ironically, I thought we performed a little bit better as a team in the second half, even though the first half produced the two goals from Stacey, which eventually won us the game," said Richards. "But, sometimes that's the way the game of soccer goes.
"(We got) two well-taken goals, I thought, from Stacey, and she received great support from her teammates to enable her to have those opportunities.
"I think we need to be a little bit more knowledgeable about the game, and understand the game-management aspect. That is an important part of getting wins, and we need to do a better job of having some composure toward the end of a tight game.
"But, overall, we are very happy with this win. Getting a split out of this weekend was probably the best we could hope for, and we look forward to our trip to Kentucky next weekend."
BGSU returns to action Friday (Sept. 7), beginning a two-game swing to the Commonwealth with a game against the University of Kentucky. Two days later, BGSU will take on Murray State University.
