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Bowling Green State University
Valparaiso
Falcons, Crusaders Washed Away
September 01, 2018 | Women's Soccer
BGSU's match at Valparaiso is cancelled due to lightning, inclement weather
The Bowling Green State University women's soccer team played a dominant first half at Valparaiso University Friday evening (Aug. 31), but in the end, it was Mother Nature who emerged victorious as the non-conference match was cancelled due to thunderstorms moving through the area. The Falcons had a 1-0 lead when the match was halted with 6:39 remaining in the first half.
The match will not be made up.
The Falcons and Crusaders played just 2:29 of the match before lightning prompted a delay of nearly two hours. Then, at 10:06 p.m. local time (11:06 p.m. ET), another bolt of lightning led to the teams being taken off the field for a second time, and the match was called.
QUOTING COACH FANNON
" We are really disappointed with the outcome. Of course, it is nobody's fault and there is no one to blame, but we feel like a good performance and result has been taken away from us."
FIRST-HALF HIGHLIGHTS
• 3' | As mentioned, the teams played just 2:29 before the match was delayed due to lightning. After a wait of nearly two hours, the match resumed.
• 4' | Shortly after play was restarted, the Crusaders had a scoring chance, as Cory Griffith hit a shot with the outside of her foot toward the far post. But, her soft shot trickled just wide.
• 8' | Junior Chelsee Washington blasted a free kick toward goal, but Valpo goalkeeper Kezia Gesell was able to make a diving stop.
• 11' | GOAL | Senior Marissa Swindell got the Falcons on the board. Sophomore Sophia Barnes played a diagonal ball into the box from the right side. Senior Erica Hubert and a VU defender were running toward the goal, and the defender was able to deflect the ball, but it went directly to Swindell, who drilled it into the lower right-hand corner of the net from approximately 10 yards out. Barnes had the lone assist on the play.
• 19' | BGSU earned back-to-back corner kicks, and on the second one, Hubert's kick found fellow senior Alexis Fricke, but Fricke's header went wide at the far post.
• 22' | Fricke got her head on another corner, this time from the other side of the field and this time off of the boot of junior Maureen Kennedy, but this Fricke header went over the crossbar.
• 27' | The hosts had a chance, as Griffith got her head on a long free kick from the right side, but she nodded it wide of the target.
• 31' | Hubert slalomed her way between several VU would-be defenders and uncorked a shot from the top of the box. The low shot bounced on the wet turf and forced Gesell to make a great save, as the 'keeper parried the ball away.
• 34' | On a counterattack, Hubert made a lengthy run and took the ball to the end line. She drew Gesell toward her and played a pass to Swindell in the center of the box. From a tough angle, Swindell got her foot on the ball in traffic, but she put her shot wide of the right post.
• 38' | Washington played a nifty ball ahead into space but Gesell was able to break up the play by knocking the ball away at the last minute for a corner kick. Off of that corner, a Falcon flurry resulted in several nervous moments for the Crusaders, but no shots on goal.
• 39' | With 6:39 on the clock, the match was halted due to lightning, and it was quickly announced that the contest would not be completed.
STATISTICS
• BGSU had advantages of 6-3 in total shot attempts and 3-0 in shots on goal. Gesell made two saves in goal for the Crusaders, while BG starting 'keeper Kathleen Duwve was not called upon to make a save.
• The Falcons also had a 5-1 advantage in corner kicks.
• Fricke and Swindell each had a pair of shot attempts for the visitors, while Griffith had two of her team's three shot attempts.
WHAT'S NEXT?
• The Falcons return home to take on Xavier on Thursday (Sept. 6). That contest will begin at 5:00 p.m. at Cochrane Stadium, and admission is free to all BGSU regular-season home soccer action.
FOLLOW THE FALCONS
• For 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.
