Oct. 4, 2009
Box Score
OXFORD, Ohio - Junior forward Sara Lund scored two first-half goals to give the Miami University women's soccer team a three-goal cushion and the RedHawks never looked back en route to a 4-1 victory over Bowling Green Sunday afternoon at Miami Soccer Field. The victory was Miami's first against the Falcons (4-8-1, 0-3-1 Mid-American Conference) since 2002 and first in eight tries.
Miami (6-4-1, 2-1-1 MAC) wasted no time jumping on top as Lund (Malmo, Sweden) tallied her first goal of the game just 2:10 into the match. Senior Jodi Zwingelberg (Elgin, Ill.) fed the ball into the box and Lund charged toward goal, sliding and deflecting the ball into the net just before Bowling Green keeper Alexa Arsenault was able to scoop it up.
In the 21st minute, the RedHawks made it 2-0 when junior defender Brooke Livingston (Lisle, Ill.) headed home a corner kick from senior Kersta Carlson (Plymouth, Minn.) for her second goal of the season. Carlson garnered her team-best sixth assist of 2009 on the play. Exactly six minutes later, Lund scored her second goal of the match when she weaved through the Falcon defense and chipped the ball over Arsenault's head from about 10 yards out to put the 'Hawks ahead 3-0. Lund is now tied for the team lead with four goals on the campaign.
Bowling Green closed the deficit to two in the 32nd minute when junior Alicia Almond scored her first goal of the season. Senior Colleen Kordan passed a free kick to Almond, who ripped a shot from outside the 18-yard box that sailed into the left corner of the cage past Miami senior keeper Krista Pace (Toronto, Ont.), but the 'Hawks took their 3-1 lead into break.
"I thought we had some really nice moments," Miami head coach Bobby Kramig said. "Certainly, getting the early goal helped a lot and set the tone. We've been working on changing things on how we play out of the back. I felt like both Friday (vs. Toledo) and today when we did that it was effective and helped us a lot. We just have to do it more consistently."
Miami out-shot the Falcons, 7-4, in the opening half, while the Red and White also held a 4-2 edge in corner kicks. Both keepers made a pair of saves in the first 45 minutes.
The second half again saw Miami control play and in the 72nd minute junior co-captain Eva Candia (Malmo, Sweden) found the back of the net for the first time this season. Candia gathered a loose ball just outside the penalty box and rocketed a shot that deflected off a Falcon defender past the diving Bowling Green keeper.
Miami's defense kept the Falcons from creating much of an attack the remainder of the match, as Miami cruised to the 4-1 victory. The four goals tied a season high (Sept. 20 vs. Cleveland State) for the 'Hawks and were the most in a league contest since Oct. 12, 2007 against Western Michigan.
The RedHawks finished the game with 13 shots, seven of which were on goal, while Bowling Green totaled eight shots for the match. Lund led Miami with five shots, all but one of which was on goal, while BGSU's Alyssa Zuccaro had a team-high two shots. Pace finished with five saves in goal for the Red and White.
Miami improved to 5-1 at home this year with the win, marking its best home start since 2000 when Miami started 6-1 at Miami Soccer Field. The six overall wins equal Miami's win total from each of last two seasons.
"I'm just really pleased with the leadership on this team," Kramig said. "Allison Berkey and Eva Candia have done fabulous jobs for us as captains and really all the seniors have done a superb job of leading and organizing this team and I think that's part of the difference this year."
The RedHawks look to keep their winning ways going Friday, Oct. 9 when they head to Ypsilanti, Mich. for a 3 p.m. ET match at Eastern Michigan, which begins a four-game road trip for Miami.
--MURedHawks.com--
