Fleak Fires Four Goals as Falcons Fly Past Oakland, 5-1

Friday, August 18

Rochester, MI

7:00PM

Bowling Green State University

1-0

Oakland

0-1

Bowling Green

Oakland

August 18, 2017 | Women's Soccer

Box Score

By: by Matthew Daley, Athletic Communicationis Assistant

BOX SCORE (HTML)

ROCHESTER, Mich. – Skylar Fleak kicked her way to a day unmatched by a Bowling Green State University women's soccer player in 13 years, as the Falcons blitzed the Oakland Golden Grizzlies 5-1 on Friday night. The game, held at Oakland Soccer Field in Rochester, Mich., was the 2017 regular season opener for both teams.

Fleak dominated the match with four goals. Her effort places her into a tie for the second-most single game goals in BGSU history. The dominating win is the team's third straight season-opening win. It also gives head coach Matt Fannon a victory in his first game at the Falcons' helm. Fannon is the fifth head coach in BGSU history, and they are now 3-2 in their first games with the Falcons.

BGSU scored twice in the first 13 minutes, including what would prove to be the game-winner at the 12:19 mark. The Falcons added a third goal at 29:36 of the first half, then took a 3-1 lead into halftime. Fleak got the Oakland goal back 2:07 into the second half. She capped the scoring 18 minutes later.

FLEAK ON FIRE
Skylar Fleak, a senior from Sunbury, Ohio, had an evening for the ages. She scored the Falcons' first goal of 2017 only 8:57 into the season; three minutes later, she took a turnover and scored the game-winning goal. Just after halftime, Madison Schupbach fed Fleak with a pass, and she beat three defenders and buried the ball in the net. With that, she earned the tenth hat trick in BGSU history.

Fleak capped the game at the 65:50 mark with her fourth goal. She tied Samantha Meister for second-most goals in one game in BGSU history. Meister scored four at Northern Illinois on Oct. 12, 2003. Only Kristy Coppes, who posted six in the 2004 season opener against Duquesne, has more in one game. In addition, Fleak now owns 20 career goals. Her next score will move her into third place on BGSU's career goals list, behind only Coppes (52) and Meister (28).

COPE-ING WITH SUCCESS
Victoria Cope started in goal for BGSU. In her first official action as a Falcon, she faced three shots on goal and allowed just one to pass. Cope played all 90 minutes and shut out the Golden Grizzlies in the second half.

SWINDELL IS SWELL
Marissa Swindell started and played 86 minutes in her first game with the Falcons after transferring to BGSU from the University of Findlay. She earned her first career assist on the goal that gave Fleak a hat trick, but she also helped create the game-winner with a solid tackle in the final third.

CAN YOU ASSIST, PLEASE
Maureen Kennedy earned a spot on the MAC's All-Freshman team and led BGSU with four assists in 2016. Her sophomore season is off to a good start, as she sent a pass into the box that Fleak sent past Oakland goalkeeper Sophia Braun for the game's first goal and Kennedy's fifth career assist.

Meanwhile, senior Madison Schupbach began her final season with the Falcons by setting up BGSU's only non-Fleak goal of the night. At the 30' mark, Schupbach's corner kick found Alexis Fricke, who gave the Falcons a 3-0 lead. The goal was the first of Fricke's career.

FIRST THINGS FIRST
Head coach Matt Fannon won his first game as leader of the BGSU women's soccer program. He joins Tom Piccirillo and Andy Richards as Falcon coaches who won their first match. Piccirillo led the Falcons to a 1-0 overtime victory at Kent State in the program's first-ever game. Richards' 2000 BGSU team win a 2-0 decision against St. Bonaventure.

The Falcons are also on a three-game winning streak in season openers, including a 4-0 win over Chicago State in 2015 and a 1-0 win over Eastern Illinois last season. However, this is BGSU's first win in a season opener on the road since winning 2-0 at Green Bay in 2001.

COACH SAYS
After the game, Fannon said, "We worked really hard tonight and executed the game plan very well. This performance gives us confidence, but we know that we have to continue playing with the same energy and enthusiasm in every single match."

UP NEXT
Bowling Green will rest for a week before their next match. The Falcons travel to Morehead, Ky. on Friday, Aug. 25 for a match against Morehead State. The Eagles dropped their season opener, 3-1 at Western Carolina. They host Northern Kentucky on Monday. Following the Friday tilt, BGSU heads to Indianapolis, Ind. to face Butler on Sunday, Aug. 27. The Bulldogs fought Notre Dame to a scoreless draw on Friday night and will play at Ohio on Sunday.

Swindell makes a good tackle in the final 3rd, Fleak cleans it up, takes a shot, GOOAAALLL 2-0 to the Falcons! 33' left to play in the half.
— BGSU Women's Soccer (@BGSUWSoccer) August 18, 2017

Swindell passes to Fleak, takes on 3 defenders and shoots, GOOOOAAALLLL! HAT TRICK SKYLAR FLEAK!!!! 43' left to play!
— BGSU Women's Soccer (@BGSUWSoccer) August 19, 2017

5-1 win for the @BGSUWSoccer season opener!! Good things to come from this team! #AyZiggy pic.twitter.com/Uo5hn4tdMr
— Bernie Compton (@BernadetteCom14) August 19, 2017