Michigan State University
Bowling Green
Women's Soccer Runs Past Bowling Green, 4-0
8/30/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Aug. 30, 2009
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Coach Tom | Lauren
EAST LANSING, Mich. -Three first-half goals, including two from senior Lauren Hill, helped the Michigan State women's soccer team down Bowling Green, 4-0, Sunday (Aug. 30) afternoon at DeMartin Stadium. The Spartan offense clicked from the start as MSU outshot the Falcons by a count of 22-3.
"I thought we responded very well today," said MSU head coach Tom Saxton. "There were good performances all over the field and our frontrunners certainly did their jobs with some beautiful goals."
The Spartan offense got on the Falcons early and when the Bowling Green defense was unable to clear a ball inside the penalty area, the Spartans' Hill capitalized and got the game's first goal. Hill took a pass from Cara Freeman and scored from eight yards out.
Hill then got her second of the game at the 18:29 mark with a nice deflection in front of the net off a shot from Hannah Peterson from approximately 20 yards out.
"Our intensity was way up today," said Hill. "I think we played composed in our last game, but we played with more versatility and intensity today."
The Spartans kept the pressure on the Falcons and Freeman got her first of the season in the 35th minute to make it a 3-0 game. Freeman started the play from just past midfield and wound up the benefactor after some nice passing between Laura Heyboer and Olivia Stander.
MSU outshot the Falcons by a count of 11-2 in the first half.
Hill and Heyboer made it 4-0 MSU in the 61st minute when they connected on beautiful two-on-one break. Hill led Heyboer with a perfectly-placed cross from the right side that Heyboer dove for and headed into the short side of the net for her second goal of the season.
"That was one of the prettiest goals you'll see here at DeMartin Stadium - maybe in history here," said Saxton. "I had chills on that goal and I've seen a lot of them."
Jill Flietstra made three saves and got her second shutout of the season for MSU.
"Jill did a good job leading back there," said Saxton. "Our team followed the game plan in trying to take away what Bowling Green does very, very well so a credit to all of them for good organization and just playing smart."
MSU will face its first road test of the season on Thursday (Sept. 3) when they travel to UC-Santa Barbara for a 10 p.m. match with the Gauchos.
