Numerous Falcons Gain Experience in Lone Exhibition Contest at Pitt

Saturday, August 15

Pittsburgh, Pa.

6:00 p.m.

Bowling Green State University

0-0-0

Pittsburgh (Exhibition)

0-0-0

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

Photo by: Larry Clapper

Numerous Falcons Gain Experience in Lone Exhibition Contest at Pitt

August 15, 2015 | Women's Soccer

Box Score

By: by Kevin Davis, Assistant Director for Athletic Communications

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Pittsburgh, Pa. – In the lone preseason tune up prior to the 2015 season, the Bowling Green State University women's soccer team saw a total of 19 different Falcons take the pitch in a hard fought 90 minute exhibition contest versus the Pittsburgh Panthers out of the Atlantic Coast Conference at Ambrose Urbanic Field at Petersen Sports Complex in Pittsburgh, Pa.

Pitt used a goal in the ninth minute to come away with a 1-0 win in the exhibition match.

"Our goal today was to compete with the ideas we've been training with for the last 10 days and we definitely achieved that goal," commented head coach Lindsay Basalyga. "At moments it was a bit frantic, but we weathered some storms and a lot of players were able to find confidence on both sides of the ball. Even though we definitely got exposed a few times defensively, I was happy to see our fight in not giving up a goal through the run of play. We saw a few special moments in the attacking third although we still need to work on being more dangerous with our chances."

The young Falcons, which have a total of 19 sophomores and freshmen on the roster this season, started six underclassmen in the friendly, with six others coming off the bench for Coach Basalyga.

2014 All-MAC Second Team member Lauren Cadel made four stops in goal for the Falcons in 77 minutes of play, while senior Alexis Smith spelled Cadel in the second half to play the final 13 minutes of the contest.

The very first shot of the game proved to be the difference maker, as Pitt's Roosa Arvas played a corner kick into play for the home-standing Panthers which found Sarah Krause. Krause played the ball to Juliana Vazquez (9') who placed a shot just out of the reach of the BGSU's Cadel in the ninth minute for the lone goal of the contest.

Cadel would pick up another stop on a Krause shot in the 22nd minute, as the BGSU defense continued to fend off the Panthers' attack over the first half of play to send the contest into the halftime intermission at 1-0 in favor of the home team.

Despite being outshot 7-0 over the first 45 minutes of play, the Falcons refused to throw in the white towel and weathered a quick offensive onslaught by Pitt who rattled off four shots in the first nine minutes of the second half of play.

The Orange and Brown settled down to slow down the Panthers' attack and get an offensive possession that saw co-captain Haley Parkinson fire off a shot that missed wide right of the frame in the 72nd minute.

Following back-to-back saves by Cadel in the 77th minute, the Falcons would get another scoring opportunity in the 79th minute when junior Paige Amodio sent a shot just high of the goal and out of play.

Pitt looked to add a goal late, as the Panthers had a shot blocked by a BGSU defender in the 84th minute and then had another chance hit of the post in the 88th minute.

The Pitt's Taylor Francis and Margot Shore combined for the shutout win for the Panthers.

The Panthers outshot the Falcons 17-2 in the 90 minute contest and held a 5-0 advantage in corner kicks for the match.

"Overall, this was a great opportunity for us to learn and it made us better heading into our opening weekend against Chicago State and IPFW," Basalyga continued.

Bowling Green will open up the 2015 regular season slate versus Chicago State on Friday night, Aug. 21, at 7 p.m. at Cochrane Field. The Falcons will remain at home to host IPFW on Sunday afternoon, Aug. 23, at 1 p.m. at Cochrane Field.

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