Own Goal Gives Ramblers 1-0 Win

Friday, August 19

Chicago, Ill.

7:00 PM CT

Bowling Green State University

0-1

Loyola (Ill.)

1-0

Team	1	2	Final F
Bowling Green	0	0	0
Loyola	1	0	1

August 19, 2011 | Women's Soccer

Box Score

Falcons fall in season opener in Chicago

By: CHICAGO, Ill. (BGSU Athletic Communications)

An own goal midway through the first half held up as the game winner, as host Loyola University Chicago picked up a 1-0 win over the Bowling Green State University women's soccer team Friday night (Aug. 19). The non-conference match, the regular-season opener for both teams, was held at the Loyola Soccer Park.

BGSU-LOYOLA BOXSCORE - PDF

With nearly 19 minutes gone in the opening half, a BGSU foul gave the Ramblers a free kick just over the midfield stripe. A long free kick by the Ramblers' Valerie Gonyo glanced off the head of a Falcon defender in the penalty area and into the net.

The match statistics were very even. Each team had 11 total shot attempts, and both the Falcons and the Ramblers had four shots on goal. LUC's Monica Gonyo made three saves in goal to earn the shutout, while the Rambler defense was also credited with a 'team save.'

At the other end of the pitch, redshirt junior Becca Ison made three saves, including two spectacular stops within the game's first 15 minutes.

With just over six minutes gone in the match, Ison made a nice diving stop on a shot by Elyssa Kulas. Then, four minutes later, Ison came out to contest a shot by Maggie Olsen after the ball caromed to Olsen in the box. The Loyola striker's shot sailed high.

With just under 15 minutes expired, Ison made the stop on a point-blank shot by Tricia Stonebraker. Stonebraker fired a shot off of a centering ball, but Ison blocked the shot, deflecting it off the crossbar. Loyola was called for a foul as the teams battled for the rebound.

Several minutes later, however, the Ramblers got on the scoreboard, with the 'own goal' holding up as the winner.

The hosts had the first six shot attempts of the night, and eight of the first 10. But, BGSU had several dangerous chances in the latter stages of the first half.

Midway through the period, sophomore Madeline Wideman took a corner kick from the left side of the field. Junior Sarah VonderBrink, stationed on the right side of the goal, headed the ball back toward the left, but a Loyola defender was able to clear the ball off of the line. Off of the ensuing scrum, the ball came out to Alyssa Carmack outside the box, but the sophomore's hard shot sailed high.

Just over 10 minutes remained in the half when freshman Kaylee Draper uncorked the first shot of her collegiate career. A shot by senior captain Alyssa Zuccaro was blocked, and the rebound came to the first-year Falcon near the right corner of the 18-yard box, Draper fired a ball that struck the left post and bounced away.

After being outshot by an 8-4 count in the first half, the Falcons had seven shots to Loyola's three in the second period. Just over two minutes had expired when Zuccaro fired a shot that Gonyo was able to save. Only 30 seconds later, a right-side cross by sophomore Tracy Togba was redirected toward net by senior Megan Amann, but the ball went just over the bar.

Togba was a thorn in the Ramblers' collective side for much of the night. Early in the second period, a Loyola defender was forced to make a last-second diving effort to knock the ball away from Togba's boot in the penalty area.

Just over 26 minutes remained when Draper played a corner kick to Zuccaro. The senior slid a pass backward to the onrushing Carmack, who blasted a shot that was headed toward the post before Gonyo made a diving stop.

Zuccaro, like Togba, applied pressure to the Loyola back line for much of the evening. The senior had four shots, including a pair on goal, to tie for match honors in both categories. She eluded several players to free herself for a shot midway through the second period, but the shot was blocked.

Seventeen-and-a-half minutes remained when Togba made a right-to-left run across the 18-yard box. The sophomore fired a shot that was blocked at the last second.

Zuccaro and Togba teamed up for several forays in the LUC end of the field in the late stages of the match. After Zuccaro was taken down and a yellow card was issued to a Rambler defender, Zuccaro's free kick was stopped by the LUC 'keeper.

Soon after, the hosts nearly doubled the lead, as Stonebraker rang a shot off the crossbar. Stonebraker, like Zuccaro, had four shot attempts and two shots on goal in the match.

BGSU's final chance of the night came in the dying seconds, as Zuccaro flicked a ball to Togba. The sophomore, working against several defenders, got a shot off, but Gonyo made the save with just 10 seconds left, and the Ramblers held on for the victory.

The hosts were whistled for a total of 22 fouls, while BGSU committed 13 on the night.

Draper was the lone freshman to start the match for head coach Andy Richards and his staff. Three other frosh -- Ashley Garr, Leslie Henny and Kenzie Schlemitz -- made their respective collegiate debuts for the Brown and Orange.

The Falcons remain in the state of Illinois for the next few days, heading south to Normal for a Sunday (Aug. 21) match vs. Illinois State University. Kickoff for that match is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. local time (2:00 p.m. Eastern).