BG plays Kent for title after blanking Miami
11/5/2005BOWLING GREEN - The Bowling Green State University women's soccer team is one step away from a clean sweep.
After winning the regular season Mid-American Conference championship and picking up all the major awards at the MAC postseason banquet, the Falcons will play host to the conference tournament championship game tomorrow, facing Kent State at 1 p.m.
BGSU advanced with a 2-0 win over Miami in the semifinal yesterday at Cochrane Field. The Falcons recorded their seventh consecutive shutout at home, largely because of senior goalie Ali Shingler's play.
Shingler had two impressive saves early in the match when the game was still scoreless. For the first one she dived and popped the ball up in the air and the Falcons cleared it. On the second she deflected the ball out of bounds. Shingler said it was all instinct.
"It's one of those things you don't really think about, it just happens," Shingler said. "I've done it so many times in practice over the years that it just happens."
BGSU coach Andy Richards said Shingler's saves gave the team momentum.
"Shingler gave us a base to work off of," Richards said. "The game swung the other way. That's often the way it goes. There's phases to a game, and you have to make sure you take advantage of your phases."
On Thursday Richards was named MAC coach of the year. Senior Samantha Meister won MAC player of the year, Corbie Yee was awarded conference freshman of the year honors and Britt Anderson joined Meister on the All-MAC first team. Meister also made the first team in 2003 and is a former newcomer of the year.
Senior Julie Trundle was named second-team All-MAC and Susan Hunter made the all-freshman team with Yee.
"I think that's what happens when you win the league," Richards said. "We're delighted to get some recognition for our program."
Yee, from Berea, Ohio, showed yesterday why she won an award with a goal and an assist in the game. Yee found sophomore Danielle Cygan midway through the first half to give the Falcons the lead. Cygan's first career goal hit the left post and went in with 22 minutes, 43 seconds gone.
"We've worked so hard all season, I wanted to do it for everybody," Cygan said. "We're going to the 'ship."
After the Falcons' first goal they got more offensive pressure on the RedHawks, ending up with 12 shots on Miami goalies Leigh Terry and Shannon Chen. BGSU's defense, meanwhile, improved in the second half as the RedHawks got just one shot in the period after five in the first half.
Yee's goal, her sixth of the season, came midway through the second half to seal the win.
BGSU will play in the championship match for the third consecutive year. The Falcons are the defending MAC tournament champions, defeating Central Michigan, and played in the final at Western Michigan in 2003.
Contact Maureen Fulton at:
mfulton@theblade.com
or 419-724-6160.