With four games until the start of conference play, the Falcons women’s soccer team is going into their match with the University of Findlay on Tuesday with a sense of how to play their game. While it has been a rocky start to the season, their 2-2 start is their best since 2009.
“We are 2-2 so we know we can win and we know we can score goals,” head coach Lindsay Basalyga said. “We just need to tighten up with the things we can control and make plays in the moments where players need to make plays.”
The Falcons hot start shined a light on their strengths, as they earned two straight wins over Chicago State and Indiana University–Purdue University Fort Wayne with solid defensive play and an offensive attack that racked up seven goals to start the season. The total was almost half (15) the total number of goals scored in 2014.
However, the games that followed against Morehead State and Detroit exposed the weaknesses of the youthful Bowling Green team. The offense that started the season was gone, replaced by a lack of energy during the second half and undisciplined play on the defensive end.
Uneven play is to be expected from such a youthful team, but BG is still a team on the rise, pushing through adversity and practicing harder to rebuild the program under Basalyga.
“We need to grind over the next couple of practices and come out stronger against Findlay,” sophomore Rachel Winters said.
The Falcons 2-0 start was their best start to a season since 2000 and they have already matched their win total from last season at home with two. They have recorded at least ten shots in four straight games and their seven home goals already surpasses their season total from last season (5).
It is the first time in school history that they opened with two straight shut outs.
“I believe in the character of the players we have on the team, and that we are learning from each moment so they can best affect the next opportunity we have to compete,” said Basalyga.
The Oilers are 1-0-1 to start their season. They won against Saint Joseph’s College and tied Southern Indiana.
Falcon goalie and co-captain Lauren Cadel, an All-MAC Second Team player, is 2-2 on the season with 11 saves.
Mikaela Couch leads BG with six total points and three goals, while Skylar Fleake leads the team with two assists. Co-captain Hayley Parkinson leads the team with seven shots on goal.
The team starts it’s match against Findlay at 7 p.m. on Tuesday at Cochrane Stadium.
