BGSU Bows Out of NCAA Tournament

Friday, November 9

University Park, PA

6:00 PM

Bowling Green State University

14-5-3

Penn State

16-5-1

Bowling Green

Penn State

The Falcons celebrate Erica Hubert's goal in the NCAA Tournament

The Falcons celebrate Erica Hubert's first-half goal (photo by Isaiah Vazquez)

November 09, 2018 | Women's Soccer

Box Score Final Statistics (PDF)BGSU-PSU Photo Gallery (Isaiah Vazquez)

Loss at Penn State ends arguably the greatest season in program history

By: UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. (BGSU Athletic Communications)

Senior Erica Hubert scored the 40th goal of her storied collegiate career – and the first NCAA Tournament goal in Bowling Green State University women's soccer history – but the Falcons fell to host Penn State University, 4-1, on Friday night (Nov. 9). The match, a first-round contest in the national tournament, was held at Jeffrey Field.

With the win, the Nittany Lions (16-5-1), ranked No. 14 in the nation, advance to next weekend's second round. The Falcons (14-5-3) see the 2018 season come to an end.

The hosts scored twice in the first 14 minutes of the match, marking only the second time this season BGSU allowed two or more goals, but the Falcons then righted the ship and went toe-to-toe with the Nittany Lions over the remainder of the period.

Hubert's goal came at the 20:38 mark. Redshirt sophomore Nikki Cox slid the ball ahead to the fifth-year senior on the right side of the field, and Hubert uncorked a hard shot toward the top of the goal. PSU goalkeeper Amanda Dennis tipped the ball with a leaping effort, but was unable to push it over the crossbar, and it landed across the line.

Cox was credited with the lone assist on the goal, the first NCAA Tournament goal in program history.

Charlotte Willliams had a goal and an assist for the hosts, while Alina Ortega-Jurado, Marissa Sheva and Emily Ogle also found the back of the net.

Junior Kathleen Duwve made three saves in goal, before giving way to Victoria Cope for the final 5:45 of the match.

Coach Matt Fannon and the Falcons have nine seniors on the 2018 roster. One of them, Morgann Williams, missed the bulk of the season due to injury, but the other eight – Morgan Abbitt, Elisa Baeron, Laura Bozzelli, Cope, Alexis Fricke, Hubert, Jennifer Reyes and Marissa Swindell – were on the field together for the final moments of the match.

Three of those seniors – fifth-year Falcons Baeron, Hubert and Reyes – joined the BGSU program mere months after the team finished a winless 2013 season. That trio and their teammates helped the Brown and Orange to a total of 27 wins over the past two seasons.

The 2018 team tied the school single-season record for wins, with 14, and BGSU set new records for fewest losses (five) and highest winning percentage (.705) in a season.

FIRST-HALF HIGHLIGHTS
• 6' | PSU won a corner kick on the left side, but it was knocked out of the box by sophomore Nikhita Jacob & cleared away by junior Chelsee Washington.
• 7' | Junior Kathleen Duwve punched a hard shot by the Lions' Kerry Abello over the crossbar, then jumped on a rebound after the ensuing corner kick was blocked in the box.
• 10' | GOAL | Charlotte Williams gave the hosts the lead on a shot from the 18-yard line. BG broke up a combination play, but the ball was deflected directly into Williams' path.
• 11' | A gorgeous through ball by Washington found the onrushing Laura Bozzelli on the left side of the box, and the senior beat PSU goalkeeper Amanda Dennis with a clinical one-time finish. But, the assistant referee's flag was raised, indicating an offside call against the Falcons.
• 14' | GOAL | The hosts doubled the lead on a nifty redirection by Alina Ortega-Jurado. She got her boot on a left-side cross from Williams, and the ball spun into the far corner of the net.
• 18' | BGSU's first shot of the match came from senior Erica Hubert, but the ball was blocked at the top of the 18.
• 21' | GOAL | Hubert cut the Penn State lead in half, taking a pass from redshirt sophomore Nikki Cox and hitting a shot from the top right corner of the penalty area. Penn State 'keeper Amanda Dennis got her glove on it with a leaping effort, but could not keep the ball from landing across the goal line.
• 24' | Duwve made a diving save on a shot by Frankie Tagliaferri from the top of the box, extending to her right to tip it wide of the left post. Then, senior Jennifer Reyes blocked a PSU shot off of the ensuing corner.
• 27' | A left-side cross by the Nittany Lions went past one PSU player, and found its way to Marissa Sheva on the far side of box, but Sheva's shot was blocked by junior Maureen Kennedy, the MAC Defensive Player of the Year.
• 30' | Hubert and sophomore Sophia Barnes just missed connections on a combination play on the right side of the box, and Barnes' return pass rolled over the line for a goal kick.
• 37' | Freshman Sarah Allen played the ball ahead to Washington, but Washington's low diagonal ball was just out of Hubert's reach, and Dennis gathered it in near the far post.
• 40' | During a PSU flurry, Duwve makes a tough save against Richt, and off of the ensuing corner, senior Jennifer Reyes blocked a shot in the box.
• 42' | Fifth-year senior Elisa Baeron hit a nifty volley after a serve was knocked out to her, but the shot from outside the box was saved by Dennis.

SECOND-HALF HIGHLIGHTS
• After it had rained for roughly the previous 10 hours, the precipitation decreased drastically at the start of the second half, only to increase once again midway through the period.
• 48' | Hubert played a pass to Bozzelli, who saw her shot blocked at the top of the box. Bozzelli tracked down the rebound and slid a pass to Cox, but the redshirt soph's shot from distance went wide.
• 49' | BG promptly stole the goal kick, and the ball found Hubert, but the BG striker and a defender reached the ball at the same time, and it was knocked directly to the PSU 'keeper.
• 52' | Bozzelli stole the ball and hit a shot from distance, but Dennis parried the shot, then got to the rebound first after it briefly squirted away and rolled toward the left side of the box.
• 57' | CROSSBAR | After a right-side cross made its way to the far side of the box, PSU's Shea Moyer hit her shot off of the bar.
• 61' | The Falcons put together a good string of possession, with many players (including, but not limited to, Bozzelli, Cox, Hubert, Bozzelli again, Jacob, Barnes, and Cox again) involved. Hubert and Bozzelli nearly completed a nifty combination play, only to see the ball knocked away. Jacob, however, tracked it down and found Barnes on the right side. The soph played a short pass to Cox, but Cox's attempted cross was deflected away.
• 65' | GOAL | After the Falcons had enjoyed the better of the play for the previous 50 minutes (give or take), the hosts increased the lead to two goals. Duwve attempts to punch away a free kick from the left side, but didn't get all of the wet ball, and it deflected off of a player and directly to Sheva, who deposited it into the open net from approximately eight yards out.
• 68' | On a counter, PSU's Emily Ogle cut the ball back and shot just high from the top of box on the right side.
• 71' | GOAL | Penn State was awarded a penalty after a Nittany Lion and a Falcon got tangled up on the right side of the box, and Ogle converted.
• 78' | Hubert made one of her patented long runs down the left side, and cut across the field, eventually playing a pass to Allen. But, the freshman's shot was blocked.
• 79' | CROSSBAR | Tagliaferri made several nice moves in the box, but drilled her shot off of the bar.
• 84'-85' | As the final moments wound down, BGSU Coach Matt Fannon inserted his seniors into the match. Several of them were already on the field, but Reyes and Marissa Swindell returned to the contest, and Victoria Cope replaced Duwve in goal. When the final seconds ticked away, all eight healthy BG seniors were on the pitch.

WHAT'S NEXT?
• The Nittany Lions advance to the second round of the NCAA Championships, and Penn State will face South Carolina next Friday (Nov. 16) at a site to be determined.
• The Falcons, as mentioned, see the season come to an end. BGSU tied the school record for most wins in a season, and the Falcons broke the records for fewest losses and highest winning percentage.

FOLLOW THE FALCONS
• Check back to BGSUFalcons.com at some point in the coming days/weeks/months for end-of-season superlatives and other information from the storied 2018 season.
• And, for even more information on the women's soccer program, follow the Falcons on Twitter (@BGAthletics and @BGSUWSoccer), Instagram (bgsuwsoccer) and Facebook (bgsuwsoccer) as well as on the web right here at BGSUFalcons.com.