Falcons Shut Down Crusaders, 2-0, in Home Opener

Friday, August 30

Bowling Green, OH

7:00 PM

Bowling Green State University

0-1-1, 0-0-0

Valparaiso

0-2-0, 0-0-0

Valparaiso

Bowling Green

Chelsee Washington Lynsey Spotts - Aug 30 2019

Chelsee Washington prepares to play the ball forward to Lynsey Spotts during first-half action

Photo by: Larry Clapper

August 30, 2019 | Women's Soccer

Box Score Final Stats (PDF)BGSU-VU Photo Gallery (Isaiah Vazquez)BGSU-VU Photo Gallery (Larry Clapper)Photo Gallery Photo Gallery 2

BG holds Valpo without a shot on goal

By: BOWLING GREEN, Ohio (BGSU Athletic Communications)

The Bowling Green State University women's soccer team scored in each half, and the Falcon defense shut down Valparaiso University en route to a 2-0 win Friday evening (Aug. 30). The non-conference match, the home opener for the Falcons, was held at Cochrane Stadium.

Senior Maureen Kennedy and freshman Kennedy White scored for the Falcons (1-1-1). Kennedy knocked home the rebound after VU goalkeeper Georgia Henkel had saved her penalty kick with just under 10 minutes gone, giving BG the lead for good.

White scored midway through the second half, drilling a header on frame after a corner kick by sophomore Alexis Miller. Henkel was able to get her hands on the ball, but White's shot was hit with such force that Henkel could not keep it from going into the top of the net.

The Falcons held sizable advantages in shots, shots on goal and corner kicks in the win.

BGSU-VALPARAISO HIGHLIGHTS

NOTE OF THE NIGHT
• The Falcons are now unbeaten in the last 12 home matches. BGSU is 10-0-2 during that stretch, and the Falcons now have a record of 18-3-2 in home matches since Matt Fannon assumed the head-coaching helm prior to the 2017 season.
• In those 23 contests, BG has outscored the opponents, 51-17.

MACKENZIE REUBER POST-MATCH INTERVIEW

FIRST-HALF HIGHLIGHTS
• 10' | GOAL | Sophomore Alexis Miller's pass put freshman Katie Cox into the penalty area on the left side, and Cox was tripped by VU goalkeeper Georgia Henkel. A penalty kick was awarded, with senior Maureen Kennedy taking it. Henkel made the save, but Kennedy was first to the rebound, tapping it home to give the Falcons a lead they would not relinquish.
• 39' | After another foul on the visitors, Kennedy took a free kick from approximately 25 yards out on the right side of the field. The senior blasted a shot toward goal, but the vicious drive whizzed just over the crossbar.
• 41' | Just over a minute later, a pass by senior Hannah Dolfuss put sophomore Sarah Allen into the box on the right side. Allen hit a hard shot, but it was directly at Henkel, who was able to make the save.

Friday Night Futbol: MAUREEN KENNEDY got us on the board early, knocking home a rebound vs. Valparaiso in the 10th minute. pic.twitter.com/o1UOItqybb
— BGSU Women's Soccer (@bgsuwsoc) August 31, 2019

SECOND-HALF HIGHLIGHTS
• 46' | Once the second half began, it didn't take the Falcons long to threaten to double the lead. Redshirt junior Nikki Cox and senior Chelsee Washington each put shots on frame within the first minute of the half, but Henkel came up with the save each time.
• 47' | Freshman Kennedy White had BG's third shot on goal in a span of under 90 seconds. Miller's pass sent Nikki Cox down the left side, and Cox slid a pass into the penalty area. White met the pass and hit a one-timer on target, but Henkel made an impressive save on the doorstep to deny the Falcon freshman.
• 51' | Valparaiso's first shot attempt of the night came with 50:36 elapsed, off of the boot of Emily Engler. But, Engler's shot from outside the box lost steam by the time it neared the goalmouth, and BG senior goalkeeper Kathleen Duwve picked it up on the second bounce.
• 66' | GOAL | Sophomore Mackenzie Reuber won a corner kick for the Falcons, and Miller took that kick from the northeast corner of the field, under the scoreboard. Her kick sailed into the box, where White met it with a well-struck header. Henkel was able to get her gloves on the shot, but was unable to keep the ball from continuing past her and into the upper reaches of the net. Miller picked up the lone assist on the play.
• 84' | A long punt by Duwve found senior Kristin Tveit near the sideline between the team benches. Tveit played a long ball forward to sophomore Lynsey Spotts, and Spotts hit a shot from just outside the 18-yard box on the right side. Spotts nearly caught Henkel off of her line, but the VU 'keeper was able to parry the shot past the far post for a BG corner kick.
• 85' | Off of that corner, freshman Lauren Milner – who had checked into the match for the first time less than two minutes earlier – hit a bullet of a header from the six-yard line, but the shot went just wide of the left goalpost.

Midway through the second half of Friday night's match, KENNEDY WHITE scored her second goal in as many games, with a header off an Alexis Miller corner kick. pic.twitter.com/KAQvJ28f7H
— BGSU Women's Soccer (@bgsuwsoc) August 31, 2019

STATISTICS
• BGSU had a 24-3 lead in total shot attempts, and the Falcons had a 9-0 margin in shots on goal.
• Eight different Falcons had multiple shot attempts on the evening, led by senior Chelsee Washington with five.
• Both senior Maureen Kennedy and freshman Kennedy White had two shots on goal, and each player scored her second goal of the young season.
• A total of 19 different Falcons saw action. That total included five BG freshmen.
• VU's Georgia Henkel made seven saves in goal.

FALCON NOTES
• BGSU now leads Valparaiso, 5-2-1, in the all-time series, and the Falcons are unbeaten in the last three matches vs. the Crusaders.
• Senior Maureen Kennedy and freshman Kennedy White each have two goals and four points this season, and are tied for the team lead in each category.
• White has now scored in back-to-back matches after finding the back of the net in Sunday's match at Xavier.
• Kennedy now has career totals of 12 goals and 48 points, and has moved up on both BG lists.
• The senior is now tied for 10th in school history in career points. Michelle Lisy (1997-2000) and Tracy Gleixner (1998-2002) each scored 48 points during their Falcon careers. Kennedy now trails ninth-place Britt Anderson (49 points from 2002-05) by a single point.
• With 12 goals, Kennedy has tied Julie Trundle (2002-05) for 12th place on that BG list. Kennedy's teammate, fellow senior Chelsee Washington, is in 11th place with 13 goals as a Falcon.
• Sophomore Alexis Miller's assist on White's goal Friday night was the first point of her Falcon career.
• Three Falcons – White, freshman Katie Cox and sophomore Zoe Hudson – each made their first collegiate start on Friday evening.
• Freshmen Lauren Milner and Tori Rydzeski came off the bench to make their respective BG debuts. Milner nearly scored, with a hard header off of a corner kick late in the match.
• Senior Kathleen Duwve's shutout was her first of the season and the 11th complete-match shutout of her BGSU career.

WHAT'S NEXT?
• The Falcons host Dayton on Thursday (Sept. 5) at Cochrane Stadium. It will be Pride Night at Cochrane, with the match scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m.

FOLLOW THE FALCONS
• For more information on the women's soccer program, follow the Falcons on Twitter (@BGAthletics and @bgsuwsoc), Instagram (bgsuwsoc) and Facebook (bgsuwsoc) as well as on the web right here at BGSUFalcons.com.