BGSU Women’s Soccer set to face Penn State in NCAA first round

The Bowling Green State University women’s soccer team will play Penn State University in the first round of the NCAA Championships at 6 p.m. Friday (November 9) at Jeffrey Field in University Park, Pennsylvania.
 
The Falcons (14-4-3) qualified for the NCAA Championships for the third time in program history after defeating Ball State after six rounds rounds of penalty kicks in the Mid-American Conference Tournament. Maureen Kennedy scored on a penalty kick to give the Falcons the lead at halftime, but the Cardinals equalized early in the second half.
 
The match went to PKs, and BG fell behind 3-1 but battled back. Goalkeeper Kathleen Duwve made a save in the fifth round, when a Ball State goal would have ended the match, and senior Morgan Abbitt made her PK to tie things up and force a sixth round. After the Cards' next PK went wide, Elisa Baeron stepped up and buried her kick to give the Falcons the MAC title.
 
Baeron was named the MAC Tournament MVP, while Nikki Cox, Jennifer Reyes and Nikhita Jacob joined her on the MAC All-Tournament Team.
 
A school-record five BGSU players were named to the All-MAC First Team, and the Falcons garnered three of the league's four specialty awards.
 
Matt Fannon was named MAC Coach of the Year for the second time in as many seasons, while senior Erica Hubert was named the MAC Offensive Player of the Year and Kennedy, a junior, took home MAC Defensive Player-of-the-Year honors. Hubert, Kennedy, senior Morgan Abbitt and juniors Chelsee Washington and Duwve were named to the all-league first team.Additionally, first-year Falcon Sarah Allen made the MAC's All-Freshman Team.
 
BGSU and Penn State, which is ranked No. 14 in the country, are meeting for the first time. The winner of the game survivor will face either UNC Greensboro or South Carolina in the NCAA Championships second round Nov. 16.
 
Ticket sales at Jeffrey Field are cash only, but fans can purchase tickets for the match prior to Friday by visiting the ticket office at the Bryce Jordan Center to 4:30 p.m. Friday (Note: Jeffrey Field has a no-bag policy.)