The Bowling Green Women’s soccer team was in action on the road this weekend, tying Valparaiso 1-1 on Sunday. Their record is now 4-2-1 on the season, their best since 1999.
“I think we did well to get out with a tie,” head coach Lindsay Basalyga said. “We are still learning so much about what it takes to compete at this level day in and day out and it’s nice to do that on the heels of a road result.”
The Falcons started off strong, with Morgan Abbitt and Madison Schupbach taking shots on goal at the 3rd and 4th minute respectively. Team co-captain Hayley Parkinson’s shot was saved at the 12th minute, then Erica Hubert’s header sailed high at the 13th minute and Shupbach’s attempt was blocked at the 20th minute.
Skylar Fleake finally found the back of the net after receiving a lead pass from Mikaela Couch in the box, putting a shot past Valparaiso’s goalie from twelve yards out. It was Fleake’s second straight game with one goal and Couch’s third assist of the season, which leads the team.
The Falcons went the rest of the period without a shot attempt, but were able to stave off an attack by Valparaiso on the strength of goalie and co-captain Lauren Cadel’s six first half saves. Cadel recorded 19 saves for the game, breaking the previous team record of 17.
“Lauren played really well and definitely made a few huge saves to keep us in the hunt,” Basalyga said.
The Crusaders evened the game in the second half, as April Cronin put a shot past Cadel off a rebounded shot that hit off the crossbar. But BG held the Crusaders scoreless the rest of the half, sending the game to overtime despite being outshot 14-2.
The match then went into overtime, looking for the golden goal to win the game. Couch had a chance with a shot from outside the box during the 93rd minute, but her attempt was saved by Crusader’s goalie Sydney Galvez-Daley.
Fleake then had two chances to win the game for BG in the second overtime, but her first attempt sailed high by only a few inches. Galvez-Daley saved her second after Fleake broke free one-on-one off a failed clearance by the Crusaders. Despite not scoring in overtime, Basalyga was proud of her team’s extra energy.
“I liked our mentality in overtime,” Basalyga said. “There was definitely a sense that we were going to score and I think if we had a few more minutes in the game we could have found a win. We walked away from the road with 4 points, which really matters in MAC play.”
