Nov. 11, 2007

Final Stats

MUNCIE, Ind. - The Bowling Green State University women's soccer team battled the University of Toledo to a 2-2, double-overtime draw Sunday afternoon (Nov. 9), in the championship game of the Mid-American Conference Tournament. But, the Rockets advanced past the Falcons and won the league tournament championship, 3-2, via penalty kicks at the Ball State Soccer Field.

The Falcons end the season with an overall record of 10-9-3. The Rockets are now 14-5-3 this year to date.

Juniors Brianne Eisenhard and Corbie Yee scored the goals for the Falcons. The game marked the final contest in uniform for the four-member senior class of Danielle Cygan, Tiffany Hansen, Rachael Ross and Tiernay Tilford.

"It goes without saying that we are tremendously disappointed with the result today," said head coach Andy Richards. "But, I would like everyone to know how proud I am of the team, both today and throughout this season.

"The desire to compete, the willingness to play at a high level, and the courage they showed this championship weekend fills me with pride and makes me realize how grateful I am as a coach to be associated with these fine individuals. After time, the disappointment will subside, but the pride will stay with us for many years to come."

The game was played in a steady rain, with large puddles throughout the entire field of play. The weather not only played havoc with the teams' game plans, it also wreaked havoc with the wireless internet at the Ball State Soccer Field, rendering the live stats unavailable.

First real chance of the game came 10 minutes in, as UT's Ali Leak got her head on a free kick and sent the ball toward goal. But, redshirt freshman Alexa Arsenault was able to come up with the save.

The Falcons' first scoring chance came with just under 15 minutes elapsed, and Eisenhard made the most of it. After a UT foul just outside the penalty area, Eisenhard blasted the ensuing free kick into the upper right corner of the goal. UT `keeper Andrea Plewes had no chance to make the save, and Eisenhard had her first goal of the season at a most opportune time.

With just under 25 minutes left before halftime, UT's Tara Witt sent a dangerous diagonal ball through the box, but it was just out of reach of a teammate. Three minutes later, Sarah Schulte got her head on a cross, but the ball sailed wide.

With 18 minutes remaining left in the opening half, Plewes reached a 50-50 ball ahead of a charging Cygan. Her clearing try, however, went directly to sophomore Stacey Lucas, who took a few dribbles and fired. But, the 30-yard shot was just wide of the mark.

At 1:38 p.m., with 9:59 remaining in the first half, the teams were called off the field due to lightning in the vicinity. The game was delayed for nearly an hour and a half, finally resuming at 3:02 p.m.

With just over two minutes remaining in the half, Yee fired a shot from the right side that Plewes knocked out of play for a corner kick. Off of that corner kick, freshman Katie Stephenson got a shot off that was just wide to the near side, hitting the outside netting of the goal. The teams went to the intermission with the Falcons holding a one-goal lead.

Due to the lengthy weather delay, the halftime break was shortened to seven minutes. When the game resumed, it looked for an instant as if the Rockets had tied the match. A free kick by UT's Suzi Siwinski bounded off a Falcon defender in the box, and a Rocket forward put the ball into the net with 40-and-a-half minutes left in the second half. But, the play was waved off as the Rockets were ruled offsides.

Several minutes later, however, the Rockets again put the ball in the back of the net, and this time it counted. Molly Cornwell's left-side cross found the head of Brittany Hensler, who was lurking at the far post. Hensler redirected the ball into the net with 37:50 remaining.

But, the Falcons took little time to answer. Less than two minutes later, Stephenson picked up the ball near midfield and played a ball forward, in the direction of Yee. With a Rocket defender retreating toward the ball, and Plewes coming out to get it, Yee beat both players there and chipped a shot over the sliding Plewes and into the net. Stephenson had the lone assist on the scoring play, which came with 35:42 on the clock.

Yee had another chance approximately eight minutes later, firing a shot just over the bar.

The Falcons had a flurry with just over 20 minutes left in the game, but Plewes came out of her net to block a shot by Yee. Freshman Jackie Tamerlano's rebound try was just high of the mark.

With just over 15 minutes remaining, the Falcons were called for a foul near the spot where Eisenhard converted her free kick in the first half. Cornwell took the Rockets' kick, but sailed it high over the bar.

Under 10 minutes were on the clock when freshman Meagan Moran corralled a Stephenson cross and put a shot on target. Plewes made the save, and junior Gina Rossi got a foot on the rebound but could not direct it on goal.

Toledo came close to tying the game with five-and-a-half minutes left. A corner kick by Cornwell found the head of Erin Flynn, but her scoring effort went just wide for a BGSU goal kick.

With 2:07 left in regulation, however, Flynn got her head on a Siwinski corner kick, and this time her shot was true, tying the game at 2-2. The teams went to overtime.

The Falcons had several chances in the first few minutes of OT, as Tamerlano and Yee each fired shots that went high of the mark. Midway through the period, Cornwell whizzed a shot that skimmed just wide of the far (right) post.

Neither team mounted a serious scoring chance in the rest of the first overtime, and the squads went to a second OT. In that period, Cornwell fired a spinning shot that forced Arsenault to save the ball on the short-hop, with just under three minutes gone.

With three-plus minutes left, Yee got free for a moment and uncorked a bouncing shot, but Plewes was able to smother it. Less than a minute later, Arsenault had to make a leaping save of a long effort by Cornwell.

The overtime ended with neither team scoring, and for the second time in as many matches, it came down to penalty kicks for the Falcons.

Junior Christy Zabek, as she had done on Friday (Nov. 9) against Ball State, entered the match in goal for the PKs. Soph Colleen Kordan went first for the Falcons, and converted her try, placing the ball past Plewes into the left side of the net.

Cornwell scored for the Rockets, though -- although Zabek deflected the shot, she was unable to keep it from going in -- and Plewes was able to save Eisenhard's try. When Witt scored on her PK, the Rockets had the lead after two rounds.

Plewes made another save, this time on Cygan, and the Falcons' backs were against the wall. But, UT's Pene Hughes hit the post with her shot.

In the fourth round, however, sophomore Samantha Bland's shot sailed just high. UT chose goalkeeper Plewes to take the next kick against her counterpart, and Zabek rose to the occasion, making the save.

Lucas scored on BGSU's fifth-round kick, but Rachel White's kick also was true, giving the Rockets the decision.

For the Falcons, Eisenhard, Kordan and Tilford all were named to the all-tournament team. They were joined by Toledo's Plewes, Cornwell, Witt and Hensler. BSU's Annie Aiello and Sara Schumacker and the Northern Illinois duo of Karen Enockson and Kate Sturges rounded out the all-tournament team.

As mentioned, the Falcons had four seniors -- Cygan, Hansen, Ross and Tilford -- on the 2007 roster.

"I would like to thank the four outgoing seniors," said Richards. "We are sorry to see the careers of Danielle, Tiffany, Rachael and Tiernay end. But, they have brought us much success.

"The three that were here for all four years (Cygan, Ross and Tilford) have played in three championship games and won two MAC rings. They have given us memories that will stay with us forever.

"I would like to thank everyone involved with the program for a wonderful season."