October 7, 2006

BLUFFTON, Ohio - The loud roar heard over the adjacent football crowd at around 3 p.m. was the Bluffton University soccer fans cheering the first victory by the women's team in 2006, a dominating 3-1 win over visiting Franklin College. After falling in their first ten matches, five in which the Beavers evenly played or statistically dominated their opponent only to drop one-goal decisions, the ladies broke into the win column. 

Pressuring the Franklin College goal from the opening kickoff, the Beavers struck early and opened the scoring on an ELYSE BURCKHART (Telford PA/Souderton) goal in the ninth minute as she slotted home a right-footed shot to the left of the Grizzlies' goalkeeper. Continuing with the offensive pressure, ALLISON WHITE (Lima/Shawnee) floated a shot over the helpless Franklin goaltender from the right side of the penalty box on an assist by Burckhart in the 26th minute. Bluffton managed six shots on frame in the first half while shutting down the Grizzlies offense and not allowing a single attempt on goal in the opening stanza.

Coming out blazing, the Beavers put the game away in the opening minutes of the second frame (46th minute) when MEGHAN FORQUER (North Canton/Green) went on a solo run deep into the box and launched a shot that the goalkeeper deflected into the side netting. All three ladies scoring in the match experienced their first goals of the year and Forquer's was the first of her career. Spoiling goalkeeper ASHLEY BLOOM'S (Tiffin/Calvert) shutout and managing to maintain some intrigue in the game, a very dubious penalty kick was awarded to Franklin in the 50th minute that drew the score to the eventual final count of 3-1. Bloom did well as she nearly saved a well placed spot-kick that beat her just inside her right post.

For the game, Bluffton outpaced the Grizzlies in shots on goal by a count of 10-2, with one of those being the penalty kick. The Beavers also forced nine corner kicks to Franklin's two. Collectively, the defense of CHANTEL MANGRUM (Jackson TN/Jackson Christian), EVA VOTH (Bluffton/Bluffton), SAMANTHA WILLIAMS (Toledo/E.W. Bowsher), and GINA ELSEA(Findlay/Findlay) along with several others provided solid effort to deny any kind of sustained attack.

The Bluffton University's women's soccer team will return to the pitch next Wednesday, Oct. 11, when it hosts HCAC stalwart Manchester at 4:00 p.m.