The hard preseason training is finally being put to the test for the BGSU women’s soccer team. They open the 2005 season with a home match against Oakland University today before facing Wright State on Sunday.
The squad already has one win early in the season, a 3-1 victory in Tuesday’s exhibition match against Tiffin. Scoring for the Falcons were Tiernay Tilford, Karie Sahly and Kristin McDonald.
Tuesday’s contest helped the team gain experience playing against competition instead of just themselves in practice, said head coach Andy Richards.
‘One of the main purposes of playing a scrimmage is pitting the team against people you don’t know,’ Richards said. ‘It certainly worked for us. The second half, the team found a little bit more of a rhythm.’
The Falcons hope to carry that rhythm into what should be a tough match against the Golden Grizzlies today.
‘We know Oakland has had a very strong program in the past. They tend to have some international players which give them a different style [of play],’ Richards said.
Oakland seniors Silje Peltopera and Kristi Swaving return as OU’s top offensive threats. Peltopera is one of three Norwegian players on the squad. The Grizzlies also have players from Canada and Ireland rounding out their international roster. The squad finished with an 8-11-1 overall record in 2004. The Falcon’s overall record was 10-12-2 in 2004.
Richards will depend on strong leadership from the team’s veterans as well as integration of younger players into the lineup to counter a competitive OU team.
‘The senior class is doing a very good job of providing good, solid, strong leadership,’ Richards said. ‘The team chemistry is good. [The team] does a good job of integrating themselves with each other.’
Aside from sophomore Gina Rossi, who will spend the season recovering from a torn ACL, Richards plans to field a strong, injury-free squad that will put the lessons learned in preseason training to use.
‘We have to make sure we put into place all the ideas from preseason,’ he said.
Sunday’s match will provide another opportunity for the Falcons to showcase their skills. Wright State, picked to finish fifth out of eight teams in the Horizon League, have 13 letter winners returning from the 2004 season. The Raiders will host Mid-American Conference opponent Ohio University today before traveling to Bowling Green for Sunday’s match.
Kickoff today’s game will be at 4 p.m. at BGSU’s own Cochrane field. Sunday’s match against Wright State will kickoff at 1 p.m.
