Two First-Half Goals Lead NIU Past Falcons, 2-1

Friday, September 26

DeKalb, Ill.

5:00 PM

Bowling Green State University

NORTHERN ILLINOIS

September 26, 2008 | Women's Soccer

Sept. 26, 2008

Final Stats
BGSU-NIU Boxscore in PDF Format

DeKALB, Ill. - Host Northern Illinois University scored a pair of first-half goals less than three minutes apart, and the Huskies held on for a 2-1 victory over the Bowling Green State University women's soccer team Friday afternoon (Sept. 26). The game, the Mid-American Conference opener for both teams, was held at the Huskie Soccer/Track Complex.

With the win, the hosts improve to 5-1-3 overall, their best start in school history. The Falcons drop to 5-3-2 on the year and 0-1-0 in MAC action.

The loss snapped a four-game BGSU winning streak and a six-game unbeaten streak for the Falcons.

The Huskies extended their home unbeaten streak to eight matches with two early goals. Annie Wyer put NIU ahead 1-0 at 12:48 on her first career goal, coming off a rebound. Less than three minutes later, Thea Johnson converted a header off a corner kick by Lisa Maier.

The Falcons cut the lead in half on a goal by freshman Alyssa Zuccaro in the 67th minute, with junior Colleen Kordan picking up the assist. But, the Brown and Orange drew no closer.

"It was a disappointing result today, and a disappointing performance, really," said BGSU head coach Andy Richards. "We felt that the two goals we gave up in three minutes were more because of mistakes we made rather than being broken down by NIU.

"That being said, it was great to get a goal from Alyssa Zuccaro in the second half. She was very unfortunate not to get a goal in the first half, when her shot hit the post and rebounded into the grateful arms of the Northern goalkeeper. So, we didn't even have luck on our side.

"We are a little disappointed, as we certainly didn't put Northern under the pressure that we have put other teams in the past. We need to rectify that on Sunday, as we regroup and get ready for our next challenge."

Both 'keepers made three saves -- redshirt sophomore Alexa Arsenault for the Falcons and Lindsey Curnock for the Huskies. All three of Curnock's saves came in the first half, while all three of Arsenault's stops came after halftime.

NIU outshot BGSU, 11-6, including a slim 5-4 edge in shots on goal.

The Falcons' weekend trip concludes with a Sunday (Sept. 28) game at Western Michigan University. That game is scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m. in Kalamazoo.

FALCON NOTES
* Friday's loss snapped a four-game win streak and a six-game unbeaten streak for the Falcons ... BGSU had not lost since a 3-0 setback to Michigan State on Aug. 31.

* The Huskies' first goal also meant that BGSU's shutout streak was snapped at a school record-tying four games ... the last time the Falcon defense had surrendered a goal was on Sept. 7 at Ohio State, in a 1-1 tie.

* BGSU went a total of 425:34 without allowing a goal, the second-longest such streak in program history ... the school record remains 445:03, set in October of 2005.

* Redshirt sophomore Alexa Arsenault's personal shutout streak ended at 380:34, the longest of her career and the fourth-longest individual streak in school history ... Arsenault's teammate, senior Christy Zabek holds that record, with a scoreless streak of 544:48 to begin her Falcon career (Sept. 16, 2005 to Oct. 20, 2006).

* Friday's loss was BGSU's first-ever setback in DeKalb ... the Falcons are now 4-1-0 in road games vs. NIU ... the Huskies now lead the overall series, 7-6-0.

* Freshman Alyssa Zuccaro's goal was the second of her young career ... Zuccaro also found the back of the net in the Falcons' game at IPFW (Sept. 5).

* Junior Colleen Kordan's assist was her first of the season and the fourth of her career ... she is tied for third on the team in scoring with five points this year ... Kordan entered the 2008 season with a total of three points (all on assists) in her first two years at BG.