Soccer team starting to turn the corner
9/29/2005BOWLING GREEN - Imagine failing test after test in a class and then, all of a sudden, earning an A-plus.
That's how the Bowling Green State University men's soccer team felt last weekend. BGSU broke a 25-game losing streak that started in 2003 by beating No. 11 Ohio State 3-2 in double overtime on Friday. Freshman Kyle Williams scored his first career goal 106 minutes in to upset the Buckeyes.
The Falcons followed that up with another win Sunday, 3-1 over St. Mary's, to bring their record to 2-5-1.
The wins were coach Fred Thompson's first since taking over the program last season. The Falcons finished 0-19 in 2004. In the winter, Thompson recruited 10 freshmen for the Falcons' biggest incoming class ever, and seven of them are starters this year.
"When you start seven freshmen you're not supposed to be winning games for a couple years," Thompson said. "But to win one or two now is definitely going to add to our confidence. These guys have worked hard, they've been in every single game we've played. They deserve to have a break and have something good happen."
Senior Omari Aldridge had three goals and an assist in the Falcons' two wins. On Monday he was named the Mid-American Conference player of the week, the first BGSU player to win since October, 2003. Aldridge, from Coquicam, B.C., is leading BGSU with four goals and two assists on the season.
In 2004 Aldridge led BGSU with six goals. Thompson said despite Aldridge's offensive talents, before the season he considered moving Aldridge to left back because the Falcons were depleted at that position.
"He was willing to do whatever we needed him to do," Thompson said. "His senior year he was going to do that for us."
The Falcons play at 4 p.m. today at Michigan State. They open the MAC season against Northern Illinois at 1 p.m. Oct. 7 at Mickey Cochrane Field.
FALCONS PICKED EIGHTH: The BGSU hockey team was picked to finish eighth of 12 in each of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association preseason polls announced Tuesday.
Ohio State was picked to win the conference. The Falcons play host to Windsor in an exhibition game at 7 p.m. Monday.
TIDBITS: The BGSU volleyball team broke a 24-match losing streak to Ball State on Saturday. Coach Denise Van De Walle beat her alma mater for the first time in 13 years. The Falcons play a home match at 3 p.m. Sunday against Northern Illinois. ... On Sept. 16, the Falcons' cross country team held a run-a-thon to raise money for the University of New Orleans track and cross country teams displaced by Hurricane Katrina. The event raised $1,220. ... The Women For Falcon Football will meet at 5:30 tonight at Woodland Towne Center in Bowling Green to visit with the BGSU football captains. Women attending should bring food or a $7 donation. RSVP to Robyn Brandon at robynmbrandon@
yahoo.com.
Contact Maureen Fulton at:
mfulton@theblade.com
or 419-724-6160.