Archive for the ‘Soccer’ Category

Freshman Jade Flory scored her seventh goal of the season, but two first-half goals led Butler to a 2-1 win over the Youngstown State women’s soccer team on Saturday afternoon at StambaughStadium.

The Guins fall to 3-6-2 overall and 0-1-1 in the Horizon League while Butler improves to 7-5-1 overall and 2-1 in the league.

Butler’s Katie Griswold put the Bulldogs ahead 1-0 just five minutes into the game, lacing a shot past YSU goalkeeper Nicole Kline from 20-yards out.

The Bulldogs, who posted 13 shots in the first, to a 2-0 lead at the 37:06 mark when Kelly Mahoney scored her first goal of the year – a header off a corner kick from Stephanie Kaylor.

Flory cut the Bulldogs lead in half at the 62:41 mark with her seventh goal of the season. Flory found the back of the net after a crossing pass from from senior Geneva Strelka. Sophomore Taylor Gapczynski was also credited with an assist on Flory’s goal.

The Guins host Detroit, Wednesday, Oct. 5, at 4 p.m. at Stambaugh Stadium.

Senior Geneva Strelka (above) scored her second goal of the season and helped the Youngstown State women’s soccer team salvage a 1-1 double-overtime time against Horizon League foe Wright State on Sunday afternoon at Alumni Field.

The Guins are now 3-4-2 overall and 0-0-1 in the Horizon League while the Raiders move to 5-3-2 overall and 0-0-1 in the league.

The Raider jumped out to a 1-0 lead when Bekah Bonny scored her fourth goal of the season at the 29:51 mark of the first half.

Less than two minutes later, Strelka knotted the game at 1-1 from an assist from freshman Jade Flory.

Sophomore Ali Viola tallied eight saves, including four in the second half and one in the overtime periods.

The Guins visit Penn, Sunday, Sept. 25, at 1 p.m. in Philapelphia, Pa.

Bowling Green’s Kaitlyn Tobin scored her first goal of the season with just 32 seconds left in regulation as the Falcons defeated the Youngstown State women’s soccer team, 2-1, on Sunday afternoon at Stambaugh Stadium.

The Guins fall to 3-4-1 overall while the Falcons improve to 2-5.

Freshman Jade Flory‘s last-second shot to tie the match with just two seconds left hit the crossbar and bounced out-of-bounds.

After a scoreless first half, Bowling Green’s Tracy Togba gave the Falcons the lead, 1-0, at the 71:06 mark when she found the back of the net off a header by Alyssa Zuccaro.

Sopohomore Heather Coonfare tied the game at 1-1 at the 77:50 mark with her first career goal after long-crossing pass from senior Geneva Strelka.

Sophomore goalkeeper Ali Viola recorded seven saves for the Guins.

The Guins open Horizon League play against Wright State, Sunday, Sept. 18, at 1 p.m.

The Youngstown State women’s soccer team (2-1-1) seeks its first three-game winning streak in school history when it hosts Ursuline College, Friday, Sept. 2, at 3 p.m. at Stambaugh Stadium. The Guins also visit Canisius, Sunday, Sept. 4, at 2 p.m.

The Guins are coming off two straight victories, a 3-1 win over the Virginia Military Institute on Aug. 26, and a 1-0 overtime win over Robert Morris on Aug. 28.

In just her first four college games, freshman Jade Flory has made a significant impact on the Penguins. Flory leads the team with three goals and seven points. She has scored a goal in the last three contests, including the game-winner in a 1-0 overtime win over Robert Morris on Aug. 28.

Sophomore goalkeeper Ali Viola recorded her first career shutout in the Guins’ 1-0 overtime win over Robert Morris on Aug. 28. Viola owns a record of 2-0-1 with 16 saves and a goals-against average of 0.61.

Just 16 games into her college career, sophomore Allison Ludwig now ranks fifth on the YSU career goals list with 10. She is also just the fifth player in school history to score at least 10 career goals. Last season, Ludwig tied the YSU freshmen record with eight goals.

* Photo Courtesy of Ron Stevens

The Youngstown State women’s soccer team opens its 16th season with a pair of games at the UMKC Tournament beginning with a match up against Southern Illinois-Edwardsville, Friday, Aug. 19, at 6 p.m. The Guins will face host UMKC, Sunday, Aug. 21, at 12:05 p.m.

About the Guins
The Guins return 17 letterwinners and 10 starters from last season’s 3-13-1 team led by defender and three-year senior captain Kelsey Kempton and sophomore Allison Ludwig. Kempton, who scored two goals with an assist last season, was a 2010 CoSIDA First-Team Academic All-District IV selection.

Ludwig, who recorded a hat trick in her collegiate debut last season, was named to the Horizon League All-Newcomer Team after scoring eight goals and ranking in the top five in several offensive categories. She also tied the YSU freshman record with eight goals scored.

Next week, the Guins visit the Virginia Military Institute, Friday, Aug. 26, at 5 p.m. before hosting Robert Morris, Sunday, Aug. 28, at Noon at Stambaugh Stadium.

Anyone who reads this blog regularly knows that I am not much for reporting on soccer.  I am of Italian heritage, meaning I can’t even speak without using my hands.  So to watch a sport with such little offense is just not my thing.  With the World Cup being played, I broke down, had a lapse of indifference for the sport and a feeling of National Pride as I would turn on the USA’s awesome win over Algeria.

Here was the catch… I had to watch the game with the sound muted because after five minutes of feeling like I was in a beehive, I got nervous and uneasy, waiting to get stung on the couch.  I immediately went to ‘Plan B‘ which was to turn on the radio and watch the television.  The buzzing noise of the vuvuzela was still there, but not as loud.  Annoying but tolerable.  Then the announcer spoke and I thought I was watching the Indy 500 from 1983 with Jackie Stewart calling the action.  TV muted, radio off, no sound.

I did some research.  The vuvuzela is a horn which was originally used to summon distant villagers to attend community gatherings. It is 65 cm. and its tone is stuck on B Flat, there is no change, ever. Luckily, it is a South African trademark at soccer matches.

The disadvantage I put myself at was that I am ignorant to the situations of soccer and could have used the help of a knowledgeable announcer.  Little did I know that the game would go on past the end, when the US would get their game-winning goal from Landon Donovan.  I was happy for our soccer team yet confused about why I cared about it.

I will watch the World Cup as long as the United States is playing.  However, after their run is over, so is mine.  All I pray for is that the annoying vuvuzela will be banned from American sports at all levels.  If I wanted a constant buzz, I would start doing drugs or invest in a honey-producing business.

Here is to our soccer club making a run at the cup (with the sound off).

The announcer is speaking another language, but the video is universal.  Keep an eye on the slick ballboy in this video.  The ball goes out of bounds and before the goalie can get back, the ballboy hustles a new ball to the waiting passer.  I’m not much for soccer videos, but this was kind of comical.   Knowing how rowdy soccer fans can get, this kid can drink all night without going to the wallet once!