Some weekends are best forgotten. Head coach Andy Richards and the BGSU women’s soccer team can relate to that sentiment after two frustrating losses this weekend.
The squad played a tough Oakland team to a 4-1 decision Friday before being shut out by Wright State yesterday by a score of 4-0.
In Friday’s match, Samantha Meister put the Falcons on the board just 14:08 into the game when she fired a ball from teammate Danielle Cygan past the Oakland keeper. Oakland’s Marianne Samdal answered back with an unassisted goal at 31:42 to send the game into half-time with the score tied at one.
The Grizzlies took advantage of the Falcon’s defensive formation in the second half, repeatedly sending long balls in to their forwards. Oakland’s Kristi Mitchell played a ball in to Samdal, who found herself alone with BG keeper Ali Shingler, and scored on a high shot to the far side.
Ten minutes later, Kristi Vandeberghe chipped the ball over Shingler when she came out to challenge the ball, bringing the score to 3-1. Kristi Evans assisted.
With less than three minutes left in the match, the Grizzlies struck again. Moments after reentering the game, Kristi Swaving found the back of the net on a low shot off a ball from Silje Peltopera.
‘We had a lot of mental lapses in the game,’ Richards said Friday. ‘We created more work for ourselves than we needed to and we saw very little transfer of all the work we put in during preseason, so overall, it’s disappointing. I think it’s a day to learn from and try to forget as soon as possible.’
Despite the loss, Falcon keeper Shingler managed several tough saves to keep the team in the game. She finished with seven saves.
‘[Ali] had such an outstanding game. Otherwise, it could have been a lot worse. I think she was one of the few people that come out of this game with any real credit,’ Richards said.
Richards also praised Meister, Susan Hunter and the freshmen playing the backfield for their efforts.
Yesterday brought more frustration, but some improvements for Richards and the team.
‘It’s the same kind of story,’ he said. ‘We’re disappointed again, but the second half performance was much improved. I felt we played with more purpose in the second half, we had a little bit more pride in our game, but we dug ourselves a big hole.’
Wright State opened the scoring at 17:20 with a goal from Megan Mattioda, followed by another score from Jodie Shoaf at 23:48. Michelle Sarmiento brought the score to 3-0 after netting a ball from Mattioda.
Just 39 seconds into the second half, the Raiders’ Kim Chianese netted a ball from Desire Morris. After Chianese’s goal, the Falcon’s regrouped and played a solid half. Shingler had four saves in the match.
‘They have the desire,’ Richards said. ‘They’re working very hard. I don’t have any complaints about their work rate, we’re just not putting things together right now.
The squad will look to turn their effort into execution and better incorporate team play as they travel to west for a tournament at Northern Arizona.
‘We’re not playing as a team right now. Part of it is early season and it will come together. I’m confident that we’ll be fine. I’m not overly concerned because I know we’re a much better team than we’re showing right now.’
