A 5-9-3 mark doesn’t sound like a playoff record, but this weekend, BG’s women’s soccer team played stifling defense forcing two shutouts while keeping their playoff hopes alive.
They only won one as Friday’s game against Kent State ended up in a double-overtime draw but nonetheless the team didn’t allow any goals on the weekend after beating Buffalo 1-0 yesterday.
The Falcons had their chances to score against Kent, but just couldn’t get it done.
With 32 minutes left in the second half, Alyssa Zuccaro seemed to be poised to score on a breakaway and clear shot at goal, but the Falcons were waved down with a penalty.
‘I was frustrated because our team pushes though balls, and that call was bad,’ Zuccaro said. ‘It was game changing.’
Coach Andy Richards just kept shaking his head and agreed.
‘That’s the epitome of our season,’ he said. ‘It was a completely bogus call. It was a great game [though]. Every ounce of energy was in from the players.’
Especially from the defenders.
The defense made a plethora of plays around the goal that were scrappy, but prevented more shots on goal for the Golden Flashes. That coupled with an excellent in-goal performance by Alexa Arsenault allowed Richards’ team to stay in the game and come out with a tie.
BG headed back to Cochrane Stadium yesterday afternoon, and freshman Keely Chandler scored BG’s only goal against Buffalo. ‘It feels really good, and it’s about time for another goal,’ Chandler said. ‘We need to build on more momentum and keep on winning.’
The Falcons had a chance for many more goals though. There were plenty of opportunities to really drive Buffalo into the ground, but the team didn’t capitalize on them. Instead, the kicks were too soft when they needed a hard punt, and too hard when they needed a light touch.
‘We felt it should have been more,’ Richards said. ‘The longer it’s 1-0, the more you encourage them. It’s something we need to practice. We need that killer instinct.’
The Falcons played their final home games of the season and travel to both Central and Eastern Michigan this upcoming weekend looking to keep alive playoff hopes.’