Ball State Takes 2-1 Decision from Falcons in MAC Opener

Friday, September 22

Bowling Green, OH

7:00PM

Bowling Green State University

5-3-0

Ball State

3-5-1

BSU

Bowling Green

Photo by: Larry Clapper

September 22, 2017 | Women's Soccer

Box Score

By: by Matthew Daley, Athletic Communicationis Assistant

LINKS
Photo Gallery (Larry Clapper)
BGSU-Ball State Box Score (PDF)
BGSU-Ball State Box Score (enhanced)
Updated BGSU Statistics
MAC Women's Soccer Statistics
NCAA Women's Soccer Statistics
2017 BGSU Record Book
Miami Women's Soccer (next opponent)

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio -- The Falcons scored one equalizer and came inches from a second. However, it was not enough to complete a comeback, as BGSU fell 2-1 against Ball State on Friday night (Sept. 22). The match, pitting the Falcons against the two-time Mid-American Conference regular season champions, was held at Cochrane Stadium in Bowling Green and was the MAC opener for both teams.

Neither team could dent the scoreboard during a very competitive first half. Both teams produced several scoring opportunities, with a combined nine corner kicks and 14 shots in the first half. The Cardinals held the corner kick edge, 5-4, while the Falcons took eight shots to BSU's six. The furious back-and-forth pace continued into the second half, but the game remained scoreless through the 60th minute.

Alessandra Fistrovich broke the deadlock at the 60:54 mark of the match with her first goal of 2017. However, that lead lasted all of six minutes. BGSU applied pressure and earned a corner, taken by Maureen Kennedy. Kennedy fired the ball into the set and found Chelsee Washington, who headed the ball past Alyssa Heintschel for the tying goal with 23 minutes to go.

Both teams continued to fire salvos until Peighton Cook found Julia Elvbo for another Cardinal score in the 80th minute. Elvbo completed the match with a goal and an assist for BSU. In the final ten minutes, the Falcons had two more serious chances, including one Erica Hubert shot that was just barely tipped away by Heintschel's fingertip, but BGSU could not find the net.

NOTE OF THE NIGHT
MAUREEN THE ASSIST MACHINE
Sophomore defender Maureen Kennedy (Cypress, Calif.) now has a five-match points streak and a four-match assist streak in progress. In both categories, she is tied for the second-longest streaks in BGSU history. Only Julie Trundle in 2002 could claim longer streaks. Trundle's point streak reached seven games, while she had assists in five consecutive contests. In 2017, she has five assists and is halfway to the school record for assists in a season. She has nine assists in just two seasons and needs only four more to reach the top ten for most in a Falcon career.

STAT HIGHLIGHTS
Chelsee Washington scored her second career goal; she previously scored against Morehead State on Aug. 25, 2016.
Skylar Fleak (5) and Erica Hubert (4) led the Falcons in shots. No BSU player had more than three.
Four players (Fricke, Winters, Abbitt, Kennedy) played all 90 minutes.
Goalkeeper Victoria Cope matched BSU's Heintschel with four total saves.
BGSU finished with a 7-6 edge in corner kicks and 14-12 in total shots; Ball State had a 6-5 edge in shots on goal.

UP NEXT...
Bowling Green (5-3-0; 0-1-0 MAC) will place at Cochrane Stadium once again at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday (Sept. 24) when the Falcons host Miami University. The RedHawks lost 3-1 in their MAC opener at Toledo and are now 0-8-0 in 2017. The goal against Toledo was just their second of the season. Fans can follow Sunday's action via live stats, live audio, and live video.