The BG spring game may have been the most talked about sports event Saturday, but people wouldn’t know it if they were at the Perry Field House’s turf field.
The intensity and communication at the fieldhouse was reminiscent of a regular season game. The fans who had to sit on the wall close to the sideline could hear each Falcon actively talking to each other on the field.
“I think we were just a little tentative going forward in attack. We wanted to increase our tempo in transition in the last two 30 minute periods,” head coach Lindsay Basalyga said. “It looked good and we continue to get better.”
This is the second home game on the spring season and was scheduled to be outside but due to the rain on Thursday and Friday the field was not in good condition to play on so it was pushed indoors.
Due to the change in venue the number of teams participating decreased. The Falcons were originally scheduled to play Captial University, Concordia University [Mich.] and The University of Northwestern Ohio. Concordia had to drop due to injuries and not having enough girls to play. Capital wanted to play with a full team outside but since they could not play outside they dropped also.
This left the Falcons with only The University of Northwestern Ohio as they played both 9v9 and 10v10 at some point during the matchup indoors. The Falcons only have 10 girls on the roster so graduated seniors Alyssa Carmack and Ivi Casagrande came back and played some minutes in the game.
The Falcons did not play a 90-minute game, but they played two 30-minute halves then ended with two 15-minute halves. They ended the game winning by a total score of 6-1 although they did not start well in the first 30 minute period. They were able to get out of that period with the score tied 0-0, but they opened up their attack more in the second half.
“I think it is just mentality,” Basalyga said. “It’s a building process of how do we start games, how do we end games, how do we manage games. It wasn’t a lack of preparation I just think we were playing a little safe and tentative.”
In the defensive side of the field the Falcons held form and only allowed one goal which came off of a penalty kick.
“We are happy that the goal did not come from the run of play,” Basalyga said. “I still think there are some things we can clean up on the defensive side of the ball.”
The Falcons will be back in action April 12 in what will be their last spring game before their alumni game. It will be held in Cochrane Field at noon if the weather permits.
“I think we are getting a little cabin fever. Luckily the fieldhouse is amazing, and the staff is amazing,” Basalyga said. “I feel so lucky that the weather hasn’t held us back this spring. But I think we do want to get out and get as big as we can. That moment when we can get out and get big will be important for us.”
