Bowling Green State University Athletics
Friday, August 18
Rochester, MI
7:00PM
Bowling Green State University
at
Oakland
Photo by: Larry Clapper
Falcons Open Regular Season Friday Night at Oakland
August 16, 2017 | Women's Soccer
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – The Bowling Green State University women's soccer team kicks off the 2017 regular season on Friday, Aug. 18 when they travel to Rochester, Mich. for a match against the Oakland University Golden Grizzlies. Game time is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. at Oakland Soccer Field.
The match marks the BGSU coaching debut for Matt Fannon. Fannon took the helm of the women's soccer program last December following four seasons as head coach at Wittenberg University. The Falcons return 18 players from a squad that compiled an 8-10-1 record in 2016. The team also welcomes eight newcomers, including six freshmen and two transfers.
BGSU VS OAKLAND
Bowling Green owns an 0-3-1 all-time record against the Golden Grizzlies, but only two of those matches have occurred in the last ten seasons. In 2008, the two schools fought to a scoreless draw in Rochester. Last year at Cochrane Field, Oakland earned a hard-fought 2-1 victory. BGSU allowed the opening goal 20 minutes into the game, then Skylar Fleak tied the match with an assist from Rachel Winters ten seconds before halftime. OU scored the game-winner 3:32 into the second half. The Falcons owned an 8-4 edge in shots on goal during the contest.
SCOUTING THE GOLDEN GRIZZLIES
Oakland finished the 2016 season with a 9-10-1 record, including marks of 4-6-1 in non-conference play, 1-3 against the MAC, and 6-4 at home. The team returns eight of 11 starters and 16 total letterwinners from the 2016 squad. This includes junior forward Sydnye Gagner (8 G, 5 A), who was a second-team All-Horizon League selection, and sophomore defender Sierra Grodsinsky, who earned a spot on the Horizon League's All-Freshman team. However, one of the three starters lost is primary goalkeeper Alison Holland. Holland was 8-9-1 with 75 saves and a 1.10 GAA in 2016.
Oakland is led by head coach Juan Pablo Favero. Favero is in his first season at Oakland following five seasons as associate head coach at San Diego State.
FALCONS IN NON-CONFERENCE PLAY
BGSU finished with a sterling 5-3 record against non-conference opponents in 2016. That mark included a 2-1 overtime win at Navy, as well as home victories over Eastern Illinois, Valparaiso, and Detroit. The team was 4-3-1 outside of the MAC in 2015. On the road, they defeated Eastern Illinois and fought to a 1-1 draw with Valparaiso. They also took an overtime loss against Morehead State.
FANNON'S FIRST
Matt Fannon will coach his first game for the Falcons on Friday. In four seasons at Wittenberg, Fannon led his squad to a records of 40-26-10 overall and 21-8-3 in the North Coast Athletic Conference. His 2016 team finished 13-5-2 (7-1 NCAC), advanced to the NCAC tournament championship, and the NCAA Division III national tournament. Fannon was named the 2016 NCAC Coach of the Year and the Ohio Collegiate Soccer Association Women's Division III Coach of the Year.
RETURNING STARS
The Orange and Brown bring back ten of the team's 11 primary starters from the 2016 season. Overall, 18 players return, accounting for 82.4 percent of all 2016 minutes played. The Falcons also benefit from the return of virtually all its 2016 offense. Players who accounted for 21 of the 2016 team's 23 goals and 15 of their 19 assists are back for 2017. Chief among the returners are redshirt junior Erica Hubert (7 goals, 1 assist), senior Skylar Fleak (6 G, 1 A), and sophomore Maureen Kennedy (4 G, 4 A). Also back is sophomore goalkeeper Kathleen Duwve, who started 11 games in 2016 with a record of 4-6-1, four shutouts and a paltry 1.40 goals against average.
NEW BLOOD
Bowling Green welcomes eight new players to the roster for the 2017 season. This group includes six freshmen and two transfers. The freshmen are forward Shannon Marsh (St. Clair Shores, Mich.), Nikhita Jacob (Ann Arbor, Mich.), Gabriella Magallanes (Pomona, Calif.), Talia Brown (Liberty Township, Ohio), Sophia Barnes (Valley City, Ohio), and Paige Casto (Strongsville, Ohio).
Forward Marissa Swindell comes to BGSU after two seasons at the University of Findlay. In 2016, she started 16 of 17 games, led the Oilers with 13 points (5 G, 3 A), scored two game-winning goals, and earned honorable mention All-GLIAC honors. In 34 career games at Findlay, she scored 11 goals (three GW) and posted six assists. Midfielder Kristin Tveit played one season at the University of Northwest Ohio. She earned 13 points (4 G, 5 A) in 23 games for a team that went 23-2 and won the NAIA National Championship.
HOME SWEET HOME
The Falcons open the season with three straight road contests, but their home schedule in September is jam-packed. The team plays five of their seven September matches at Cochrane Field, starting with the home opener against Michigan State on Sept. 1. BGSU also hosts Wright State (Senior Day), Robert Morris, Ball State, and Miami University next month.
HEAD COACH MATT FANNON INTERVIEW
RACHEL WINTERS INTERVIEW
The match marks the BGSU coaching debut for Matt Fannon. Fannon took the helm of the women's soccer program last December following four seasons as head coach at Wittenberg University. The Falcons return 18 players from a squad that compiled an 8-10-1 record in 2016. The team also welcomes eight newcomers, including six freshmen and two transfers.
BGSU VS OAKLAND
Bowling Green owns an 0-3-1 all-time record against the Golden Grizzlies, but only two of those matches have occurred in the last ten seasons. In 2008, the two schools fought to a scoreless draw in Rochester. Last year at Cochrane Field, Oakland earned a hard-fought 2-1 victory. BGSU allowed the opening goal 20 minutes into the game, then Skylar Fleak tied the match with an assist from Rachel Winters ten seconds before halftime. OU scored the game-winner 3:32 into the second half. The Falcons owned an 8-4 edge in shots on goal during the contest.
SCOUTING THE GOLDEN GRIZZLIES
Oakland finished the 2016 season with a 9-10-1 record, including marks of 4-6-1 in non-conference play, 1-3 against the MAC, and 6-4 at home. The team returns eight of 11 starters and 16 total letterwinners from the 2016 squad. This includes junior forward Sydnye Gagner (8 G, 5 A), who was a second-team All-Horizon League selection, and sophomore defender Sierra Grodsinsky, who earned a spot on the Horizon League's All-Freshman team. However, one of the three starters lost is primary goalkeeper Alison Holland. Holland was 8-9-1 with 75 saves and a 1.10 GAA in 2016.
Oakland is led by head coach Juan Pablo Favero. Favero is in his first season at Oakland following five seasons as associate head coach at San Diego State.
FALCONS IN NON-CONFERENCE PLAY
BGSU finished with a sterling 5-3 record against non-conference opponents in 2016. That mark included a 2-1 overtime win at Navy, as well as home victories over Eastern Illinois, Valparaiso, and Detroit. The team was 4-3-1 outside of the MAC in 2015. On the road, they defeated Eastern Illinois and fought to a 1-1 draw with Valparaiso. They also took an overtime loss against Morehead State.
FANNON'S FIRST
Matt Fannon will coach his first game for the Falcons on Friday. In four seasons at Wittenberg, Fannon led his squad to a records of 40-26-10 overall and 21-8-3 in the North Coast Athletic Conference. His 2016 team finished 13-5-2 (7-1 NCAC), advanced to the NCAC tournament championship, and the NCAA Division III national tournament. Fannon was named the 2016 NCAC Coach of the Year and the Ohio Collegiate Soccer Association Women's Division III Coach of the Year.
RETURNING STARS
The Orange and Brown bring back ten of the team's 11 primary starters from the 2016 season. Overall, 18 players return, accounting for 82.4 percent of all 2016 minutes played. The Falcons also benefit from the return of virtually all its 2016 offense. Players who accounted for 21 of the 2016 team's 23 goals and 15 of their 19 assists are back for 2017. Chief among the returners are redshirt junior Erica Hubert (7 goals, 1 assist), senior Skylar Fleak (6 G, 1 A), and sophomore Maureen Kennedy (4 G, 4 A). Also back is sophomore goalkeeper Kathleen Duwve, who started 11 games in 2016 with a record of 4-6-1, four shutouts and a paltry 1.40 goals against average.
NEW BLOOD
Bowling Green welcomes eight new players to the roster for the 2017 season. This group includes six freshmen and two transfers. The freshmen are forward Shannon Marsh (St. Clair Shores, Mich.), Nikhita Jacob (Ann Arbor, Mich.), Gabriella Magallanes (Pomona, Calif.), Talia Brown (Liberty Township, Ohio), Sophia Barnes (Valley City, Ohio), and Paige Casto (Strongsville, Ohio).
Forward Marissa Swindell comes to BGSU after two seasons at the University of Findlay. In 2016, she started 16 of 17 games, led the Oilers with 13 points (5 G, 3 A), scored two game-winning goals, and earned honorable mention All-GLIAC honors. In 34 career games at Findlay, she scored 11 goals (three GW) and posted six assists. Midfielder Kristin Tveit played one season at the University of Northwest Ohio. She earned 13 points (4 G, 5 A) in 23 games for a team that went 23-2 and won the NAIA National Championship.
HOME SWEET HOME
The Falcons open the season with three straight road contests, but their home schedule in September is jam-packed. The team plays five of their seven September matches at Cochrane Field, starting with the home opener against Michigan State on Sept. 1. BGSU also hosts Wright State (Senior Day), Robert Morris, Ball State, and Miami University next month.
HEAD COACH MATT FANNON INTERVIEW
RACHEL WINTERS INTERVIEW
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