BGSU Heads East to Open Conference Play

Friday, September 23

Buffalo, N.Y.

7:45 PM

Bowling Green State University

Buffalo

Kylie Briem and the Falcons head East to open MAC play this weekend (photos by John Enright, BGSU Athletic Communications)

September 22, 2011 | Women's Soccer

Falcons begin the MAC schedule by taking on Buffalo, Kent State

By: BOWLING GREEN, Ohio (BGSU Athletic Communications)

The Bowling Green State University women's soccer team opens Mid-American Conference play with a pair of matches on the road this weekend. The Falcons of head coach Andy Richards will face the University at Buffalo on Friday night (Sept. 23), with kickoff scheduled for approximately 8:00 p.m. at UB Stadium. The game is the second half of a doubleheader, as the UB men's soccer team takes on Niagara at 5:00 p.m.

BGSU 2011 CUMULATIVE STATISTICS: HTML   |   PDF

Then, the Brown and Orange will meet Kent State University on Sunday afternoon (Sept. 25). Kickoff for that match will be at 1:00 p.m. at KSU's Zoeller Field.

FALCONS at BUFFALO
Friday, Sept. 23, 2011 • 8:00 p.m.
VENUE: UB Stadium; Buffalo, N.Y.
RECORDS:
• BGSU: 3-6-0 (4-12-4, 2-6-3 MAC in 2010)
• Buffalo: 7-1-0 (3-15-1, 0-9-2 MAC in 2010)
SERIES*: BGSU leads, 10-4-1   |   STREAK: BGSU - 3
LAST MEETING: at BGSU 4, Buffalo 0 (Sept. 24, 2010)
LAST MEETING IN BUFFALO: at Buffalo 1, BGSU 0 (Oct. 14, 2007)
COACHES:
• BGSU: Andy Richards (Sheffield City Polytechnic [England], 1989), 105-114-26 in 12th year at BGSU and overall; 55-55-15 in MAC matches
• Buffalo: Michael Thomas, 15-42-7 in fourth year at UB and overall
LIVE STATS: Available at www.buffalobulls.com and right here at BGSUFalcons.com
LIVE STREAMING (subscription fee required): Available at www.buffalobulls.com or link through BGSUFalcons.com

FALCONS at KENT STATE
Sunday, Sept. 25, 2011 • 1:00 p.m.
VENUE: Zoeller Field; Kent, Ohio
RECORDS (heading into Friday's matches):
• BGSU: 3-6-0 (4-12-4, 2-6-3 MAC in 2010)
• KSU: 6-2-0 (4-10-4, 3-7-1 MAC in 2010) – KSU hosts Miami on Friday
SERIES*: BGSU leads, 10-3-4   |   STREAK: BGSU - 1 ^
LAST MEETING: at BGSU 1, Kent State 0 (Sept. 26, 2010)
LAST MEETING IN KENT: BGSU 3, at Kent State 0 (Oct. 12, 2007)
COACHES:
• BGSU: Andy Richards (Sheffield City Polytechnic [England], 1989), 105-114-26 in 12th year at BGSU and overall; 55-55-15 in MAC matches
• KSU: Rob Marinaro (Clemson, 1992), 85-91-24 in 11th year at Kent State and overall
LIVE STATS: Available at www.kentstatesports.com and right here at BGSUFalcons.com
^ BGSU has an eight-match series unbeaten streak
* Note: Series information can be found on pages 47-49 of the 2011 BGSU online media guide, which is available in both PDF and flip interactive formats here at BGSUFalcons.com

LIVE STATISTICS
Again in 2011, all BGSU home women's soccer matches, and most away contests, will have live statistics available on the web. If you can't make it to the field, simply log on to BGSUFalcons.com at game time. The live stats links can be found on the front page of the site (in the 'schedule' section) or by clicking on the women's soccer schedule and choosing the corresponding match.

LIVE VIDEO
Friday's Buffalo match also will be streamed live on UB's athletics web site, www.buffalobulls.com. There is a subscription fee required to watch the video. A link to the video is also available at BGSUFalcons.com.

TWO MUCH-IMPROVED TEAMS
The Falcons defeated both of this weekend's opponents, Buffalo and Kent State, last September. But, it would appear that both the Bulls and the Golden Flashes are much improved over the 2010 season. UB has more than doubled last year's win total already, while KSU also has topped last season's victory total. After going a combined 7-25-5 in 2010, the Bulls and Flashes are an aggregate 13-3-0 this season to date.

ABOUT THE FALCONS
The Falcons will enter the weekend with a record of 3-6-0 on the season. BGSU split two matches at Cochrane Field last weekend, with a 1-0 win over IPFW on Friday (Sept. 16) and a 4-0 loss at the hands of Valparaiso Sunday afternoon (Sept. 18). BGSU is 1-3-0 at home and 2-3-0 on the road this season to date.

Senior captain Alyssa Zuccaro and junior Sarah VonderBrink have four points apiece to share the team's scoring lead. Zuccaro is the lone Falcon to have scored two goals on the year, scoring vs. Niagara and Youngstown State, while VonderBrink has one goal and is tied for the team lead with two assists this year to date. Her assists include a helper on the game-winning goal at YSU

In addition to VonderBrink, sophomores Ashley Miller, Kaitlyn Tobin and Tracy Togba and freshman Kaylee Draper each have one goal this season. Tobin's goal was a 90th-minute winner vs. the Penguins.

Senior Megan Amann has two assists this fall to date, while sophomore Madeline Wideman has one. Amann's assists came on VonderBrink's winning goal at Cleveland State and Zuccaro's goal at YSU, while Wideman assisted on Zuccaro's goal against Niagara.

Redshirt junior Becca Ison has played the entirety of all nine matches in goal this season. Ison has a MAC-leading total of 52 saves, a goals-against average of 1.98 and two shutouts. Ison made a career-high 11 stops in the Illinois State game, and she had nine saves at MSU and eight vs. both Detroit and Niagara.

Along with Ison, sophomore Alyssa Carmack has played every second of all nine matches this fall, while Draper has played 801 of the 818-plus minutes. Zuccaro has been on the field for 780 minutes, while junior Emily Rothwell has played 763 minutes and redshirt freshman Kylie Briem 749. Briem, Carmack, Draper, Ison, Zuccaro and redshirt sophomore Jenny Fowler each have started every match this fall to date.

Head coach Andy Richards and his staff, assistants Kellie Evans and Jimmy Walker, welcomed back a total of 17 letterwinners, including seven starters, from last year's club. BGSU's returning players combined for nearly 67 percent of the team's goals and almost 73% of the assists a year ago. Four of the Falcons' top-five scorers returned from the 2010 campaign, including Zuccaro, who led the team in scoring. Zuccaro had one-third of the team's goals, with eight, and also led the Brown and Orange with six assists. Her total of 22 points was the highest by a BGSU player since the 2005 season.

LAST WEEKEND
Sophomore Tracy Togba's goal early in the second half lifted the Falcons to a 1-0 win over IPFW Friday (Sept. 16) at Cochrane Field. The unassisted goal came after an IPFW giveaway in the 49th minute of play. Redshirt junior Becca Ison made three saves in goal to earn the shutout for the Brown and Orange.

On Sunday (Sept. 18), Valparaiso scored three first-half goals en route to a 4-0 win over the Falcons at Cochrane. Ison had two saves in the match.

FALCONS IN THE MAC OPENER
BGSU has an all-time record of 7-5-2 in Mid-American Conference regular-season openers. BGSU's record in MAC road openers is 8-5-1. And, in games when the MAC regular-season opener is played on the road, the Falcons are 4-1-1 all-time.

FALCONS IN THE MAC STATS ...
Redshirt junior goalkeeper Becca Ison ranks among the MAC leaders in several statistical categories. Ison leads the league in saves, with 52, and is second in saves per game (5.78). She also ranks eighth in save percentage (.743).

As a team, the Falcons are first in the MAC in saves, with 53 (including one 'team save'), and BG ranks third in the league in saves per game, at 5.89.

... AND IN THE NCAA STATS
Redshirt junior Becca Ison entered the week tied for 20th in the nation in saves, with 52.

FALCON COACH ANDY RICHARDS
BGSU head coach Andy Richards, now in his 12th season at the helm, has proven himself to be one of the most successful mentors in MAC women's soccer history. He has guided the Falcons to an overall record of 105-114-26, and a record of 55-55-15 in MAC regular-season play. Richards picked up the 100th victory of his collegiate head-coaching career in the Falcons' 3-2 win at Indiana State last season (Sept. 19).

Richards' teams perennially play one of the toughest non-conference schedules in the MAC. In his first decade-plus in BG, he has led the Falcons to the MAC Tournament on eight occasions, with the team advancing to the semifinals seven times. BGSU is 10-5-5 in MAC Tournament matches during his tenure, and no coach has more trips to the league tourney title game than Richards' five. Two of those appearances – in 2004 and 2005 – resulted in MAC Tournament titles and trips to the NCAA Championships. Richards and the Falcons also won the '05 regular-season crown.

A native of Warwick, England, Richards earned his Bachelor of Education degree from Sheffield City Polytechnic in 1989. He received his Master of Education degree from Oregon State in 1997.

RICHARDS IS IN THE TOP-FOUR
Falcon head coach Andy Richards is one of the winningest mentors in MAC women's soccer history. Currently, Richards ranks fourth on the conference's all-time wins list.
OVERALL WINS BY MAC COACHES
(since the MAC began sponsoring women's soccer in 1997 – totals through games of Monday, Sept. 12)
150   Bobby Kramig, Miami (1997-present)
125   Scott Hall, EMU (1999-present)
106   Brad Evans, Toledo (2001-present)
105   Andy Richards, BGSU (2000-present)
96   Stacy Strauss, Ohio (2000-present)
91   Jean-A. Tassy, Buffalo (1998-2007) *
89   Mike Haines, WMU (1998-2008)
85   Rob Marinaro, Kent State (2001-present)
70   Ron Rainey, Ball State (1999-2005)
* Tassy had 113 total wins at UB from 1995-2007, but the Bulls did not join the MAC until the 1998 season

THE OPPONENTS
Buffalo will enter Friday's match with a record of 7-1-0 on the season. Already in 2011, the Bulls have more than doubled the win total for all of last season, and UB also has scored more goals than the 2010 team. All seven of UB's wins have come by shutout, including wins at Niagara and against Canisius last weekend. The Bulls' only loss was a 3-2 home defeat to St. Bonaventure on Sept. 3. Katie Roberts has nine points on three goals and three assists this fall, leading the Bulls in all three categories. Ainsley Wheldon has played all but five minutes in goal this season. She leads the MAC in goals-against average (0.36), save pct. (.936), shutouts (six) and shutouts per game (0.75; six in eight games). Wheldon, the reigning MAC Defensive Player of the Week, has 44 saves on the year. Head coach Michael Thomas welcomed back 20 letterwinners, including eight starters, from last year's team. The 2010 Bulls went 3-15-1 overall and 0-9-2 in the MAC. The school's athletics web site is www.buffalobulls.com.

Kent State will take a 6-2-0 record into Friday's MAC opener against Miami. The Golden Flashes won three matches to open the season, lost a pair of matches in California (to Cal and San Francisco), and have responded with three more victories. KSU has outscored the last three opponents by an 11-1 count, including a 6-1 win over Youngstown State (Sept. 9) and a 4-0 victory against IUPUI last Friday (Sept. 16). The Flashes are a perfect 4-0-0 at home this year to date. Jessacca Gironda leads the team with 14 points on five goals and four assists. Her total of three game-winning goals leads the MAC. Three other players have at least seven points. Kelly Sherwood has played in all eight matches in goal, and has 33 saves, three shutouts and a 1.47 GAA. Head coach Rob Marinaro welcomed back 16 letterwinners, including seven starters, from a year ago. The 2010 Flashes went 4-10-4 overall and 3-7-1 in Horizon League play. The school's athletics web site is www.kentstatesports.com.

THE SERIES
The Falcons lead Buffalo, 10-4-1, in the all-time series between the teams, and BGSU has won six of the last seven meetings, including the last two. Last season, the Falcons posted a 4-0 win at Cochrane Field (Sept. 24, 2010), with Alyssa Zuccaro recording a hat trick and Madeline Wideman adding a goal and an assist. Believe it or not, the Falcons have not played at Buffalo since the 2007 season. That year marks the last UB win, a 1-0 verdict (Oct. 14, 2007). The last seven series matches have been shutouts, after the previous five went to overtime. The Falcons are 7-3-0 at home, 2-1-1 on the road and 1-0-0 in neutral-site games vs. UB.
THE BGSU-BUFFALO SERIES
(BGSU leads, 10-4-1)
Oct. 24, 1997 -- at BGSU 2, Buffalo 1
Sept. 25, 1998 -- at BGSU 2, Buffalo 1
Sept. 26, 1999 -- Buffalo 3, at BGSU 0
Oct. 20, 2000 -- BGSU 1, at Buffalo 1 (2-OT)
Sept. 23, 2001 -- Buffalo 2, at BGSU 1 (OT)
Oct. 20, 2002 -- BGSU 2, at Buffalo 1 (OT)
Nov. 6, 2002 -- at BGSU 2, Buffalo 1 (2-OT) #
Oct. 17, 2003 -- Buffalo 3, at BGSU 2 (OT)
Oct. 17, 2004 -- BGSU 1, at Buffalo 0
Oct. 16, 2005 -- at BGSU 4, Buffalo 0
Oct. 15, 2006 -- BGSU 2, Buffalo 0 $
Oct. 14, 2007 -- at Buffalo 1, BGSU 0
Oct. 26, 2008 -- at BGSU 3, Buffalo 0
Oct. 18, 2009 -- at BGSU 1, Buffalo 0
Sept. 24, 2010 -- at BGSU 4, Buffalo 0
# MAC Tournament Quarterfinal
$ at Kent, Ohio

The Falcons lead Kent State, 10-3-4, in that series, and BGSU has an eight-match unbeaten streak vs. the Golden Flashes. Last fall, Tracy Togba's late goal gave the Brown and Orange a 1-0 win at Cochrane Field (Sept. 26, 2010). BGSU's last trip to Kent came in 2007, and resulted in a 3-0 Falcon victory. BG has a lengthy shutout streak vs. the Flashes, having not allowed a KSU goal since the 2004 season. BGSU is 5-1-4 at home and 5-2-0 on the road vs. the Golden Flashes.
THE BGSU-KENT STATE SERIES
(BGSU leads, 10-3-4)
Aug. 29, 1997 -- BGSU 1, at Kent State 0 (OT)
Oct. 17, 1997 -- at BGSU 2, Kent State 0
Sept. 27, 1998 -- at BGSU 1, Kent State 1 (2-OT)
Sept. 15, 1999 -- at BGSU 2, Kent State 0
Oct. 22, 2000 -- at Kent State 3, BGSU 1
Oct. 26, 2001 -- Kent State 1, at BGSU 0 (OT)
Sept. 29, 2002 -- BGSU 1, at Kent State 0
Oct. 19, 2003 -- at BGSU 0, Kent State 0 (2-OT)
Oct. 15, 2004 -- at Kent State 4, BGSU 2
Nov. 2, 2004 -- BGSU 2, at Kent State 1 (2-OT) $
Oct. 14, 2005 -- at BGSU 2, Kent State 0
Nov. 6, 2005 -- at BGSU 0, Kent State 0 (2-OT) %#
Oct. 13, 2006 -- BGSU 1, at Kent State 0 (OT)
Oct. 12, 2007 -- BGSU 3, at Kent State 0
Oct. 24, 2008 -- at BGSU 1, Kent State 0
Oct. 16, 2009 -- at BGSU 0, Kent State 0 (2-OT)
Sept. 26, 2010 -- at BGSU 1, Kent State 0
$ MAC Tournament Quarterfinal
% MAC Tournament Championship
# BGSU advanced, 3-2, on PKs

FALCONS PICKED TO FINISH FIFTH IN EAST
The Falcons have been picked to finish fifth in the MAC's East Division standings in 2011, according to the preseason coaches poll. The 2011 season marks the second year that a divisional format has been utilized for MAC women's soccer. Last year, the Brown and Orange tied for fourth in the East.

THE 2011 CAPTAIN
Senior Alyssa Zuccaro is the captain of the 2011 women's soccer Falcons.

UP NEXT
Following the Buffalo-Kent trip, the Falcons will return home for the next three matches. BGSU will host arch-rival Toledo on Friday afternoon, Sept. 30, with kickoff at 4:00 p.m. at Cochrane Field. Then, two days later (Sunday. Oct. 2), the Brown and Orange will host Ball State in a 3:00 p.m. match. Both the UT and BSU contests will be the back end of futbol doubleheaders at Cochrane, as the Falcon men's team will host a pair of matches that weekend as well. The women's team's three-game homestand concludes with a contest vs. Eastern Michigan on Friday, Oct. 7.