Bowling Green State University Athletics
Photo by: BGSU Strategic Communications
BGSU Women's Soccer: Preseason is Underway
August 09, 2019 | Women's Soccer
The Bowling Green State University women's soccer team has officially begun preparing for the 2019 season. The Falcons arrived on campus and took part in several organizational meetings on Tuesday (Aug. 6), with photo day and a green-screen shoot included in the itinerary as well. On Wednesday morning (Aug. 7), head coach Matt Fannon and Company held the first practice of the preseason schedule.
Fannon and his staff welcome back a total of 17 letterwinners, including six starters, from last year's team. The Falcons are the defending Mid-American Conference champions, having captured the 2018 conference regular-season and tournament titles. BG finished the 2018 campaign with an overall record of 14-5-3 and a MAC ledger of 10-1-0.
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(NOTE: The headshots and team photo from Tuesday's photo day have been added to the 2019 roster.)
Last year's club tied the school record for overall wins and shattered the program mark for conference victories. BGSU captured the league regular-season crown for the second time in history, and won the league tournament title for the third time ever.
In Fannon's first two years, the Falcons have posted an overall record of 27-12-4 and a league mark of 16-5-1. BGSU is 20-6-2 in all games (regular season and tournament) vs. MAC foes.
BGSU outscored MAC opponents, 31-7, in 14 regular-season and tourney matches vs. conference competition last fall. The Falcons scored at least two goals in 10 of those 14 matches, and never allowed more than one goal in a match vs. a MAC opponent.
The returnees include no fewer than three 2018 All-MAC First-Team selections in seniors Kathleen Duwve, Maureen Kennedy and Chelsee Washington. Kennedy was the MAC Defensive Player of the Year.
Washington is the team's top returning scorer, with 27 points on nine goals and nine assists a year ago. She led the 2018 Falcons with four game-winning goals, and was named the United Soccer Coaches National Player of the Week on Sept. 25.
Kennedy scored 20 points, including a school-record tying 10 assists (a record that she already shared), a year ago. And, she was one-third of a back line that helped BGSU to nine shutouts last year, including seven clean sheets in 14 matches vs. MAC opposition.
Duwve started all 22 matches in goal in 2018 after missing much of the 2017 campaign due to injury. She was on a school-record pace for goals-against average prior to the NCAA Championships, and finished the year with a GAA of just 0.79. Duwve had a miniscule 0.49 GAA in MAC action, as she allowed only five goals in 927-plus minutes against conference competition.
Redshirt junior Nikki Cox had 19 points a year ago, including eight goals. She, like Kennedy, scored three GWG last season.
Junior Nikhita Jacob started 19 matches last fall and helped to anchor a strong midfield corps, while classmate Sophia Barnes and sophomore Mackenzie Reuber combined to make 19 starts a year ago.
In all, BGSU returns seven players who scored at least one goal in 2018, and a total of nine returnees recorded at least one point during the championship season. Fannon and his staff also welcome a total of 10 newcomers to the program in 2019.
The Falcons' first 2019 competition is a scrimmage at Oakland on Wednesday (Aug. 14) evening. The regular-season opener is set for Friday, Aug. 23, at Kentucky, and BGSU's home opener will take place the following Friday, Aug. 30, when Valparaiso ventures to Cochrane Stadium.
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.
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Fannon and his staff welcome back a total of 17 letterwinners, including six starters, from last year's team. The Falcons are the defending Mid-American Conference champions, having captured the 2018 conference regular-season and tournament titles. BG finished the 2018 campaign with an overall record of 14-5-3 and a MAC ledger of 10-1-0.
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(NOTE: The headshots and team photo from Tuesday's photo day have been added to the 2019 roster.)
Last year's club tied the school record for overall wins and shattered the program mark for conference victories. BGSU captured the league regular-season crown for the second time in history, and won the league tournament title for the third time ever.
In Fannon's first two years, the Falcons have posted an overall record of 27-12-4 and a league mark of 16-5-1. BGSU is 20-6-2 in all games (regular season and tournament) vs. MAC foes.
BGSU outscored MAC opponents, 31-7, in 14 regular-season and tourney matches vs. conference competition last fall. The Falcons scored at least two goals in 10 of those 14 matches, and never allowed more than one goal in a match vs. a MAC opponent.
The returnees include no fewer than three 2018 All-MAC First-Team selections in seniors Kathleen Duwve, Maureen Kennedy and Chelsee Washington. Kennedy was the MAC Defensive Player of the Year.
Washington is the team's top returning scorer, with 27 points on nine goals and nine assists a year ago. She led the 2018 Falcons with four game-winning goals, and was named the United Soccer Coaches National Player of the Week on Sept. 25.
Kennedy scored 20 points, including a school-record tying 10 assists (a record that she already shared), a year ago. And, she was one-third of a back line that helped BGSU to nine shutouts last year, including seven clean sheets in 14 matches vs. MAC opposition.
Duwve started all 22 matches in goal in 2018 after missing much of the 2017 campaign due to injury. She was on a school-record pace for goals-against average prior to the NCAA Championships, and finished the year with a GAA of just 0.79. Duwve had a miniscule 0.49 GAA in MAC action, as she allowed only five goals in 927-plus minutes against conference competition.
Redshirt junior Nikki Cox had 19 points a year ago, including eight goals. She, like Kennedy, scored three GWG last season.
Junior Nikhita Jacob started 19 matches last fall and helped to anchor a strong midfield corps, while classmate Sophia Barnes and sophomore Mackenzie Reuber combined to make 19 starts a year ago.
In all, BGSU returns seven players who scored at least one goal in 2018, and a total of nine returnees recorded at least one point during the championship season. Fannon and his staff also welcome a total of 10 newcomers to the program in 2019.
The Falcons' first 2019 competition is a scrimmage at Oakland on Wednesday (Aug. 14) evening. The regular-season opener is set for Friday, Aug. 23, at Kentucky, and BGSU's home opener will take place the following Friday, Aug. 30, when Valparaiso ventures to Cochrane Stadium.
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.
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Players Mentioned
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