October 17, 2006

ANGOLA, Ind. - The Bluffton University women's soccer team improved to 2-12 with its 3-2 victory over Tri-State on Tuesday, October 17, 2006. On a field drenched by rain, the Beavers overcame poor field conditions and a lopsided foul distribution to pick up their first road victory of the year.

With Bluffton controlling the action for the first twenty five minutes of the contest, ANGIE VOISARD (Anna/Anna) gained control of the ball in the box and put the Beavers on top despite being surrounded by the Thunder in minute 20. The Beavers finished with nine shots in the first half to only one for Tri-State, but Bluffton only took a 1-0 lead into the halftime break. 

10 minutes into the second stanza, ELYSE BURCKHART (Telford, Pa./Souderton) gave the Beavers a 2-0 advantage when her shot found the back of the net. 

Less than five minutes later, defender GINA ELSEA (Findlay/Findlay) attempted to pass the ball back to goalkeeper ASHLEY BLOOM (Tiffin/Calvert) when it found a puddle of water and stopped long enough for JACKIE HAVENAAR to slip between the two Beavers and trim the Bluffton lead to one goal.

ROCHELLE STOLTZFUS (Bluffton/Bluffton) tacked on what turned out to be the game-winning goal in the 69th minute when her bouncing shot did not come up for the Thunder goalkeeper. Instead it rolled into the net giving Bluffton a 3-1 lead.

As the clock was winding down, Tri-State pushed its second goal of the contest into the back of the net when a member of the Thunder took Bloom's legs out from under her.

The Beavers took 19 shots to only seven for Tri-State. Voisard led Bluffton with six shot attempts, including three on goal. JESSICA GOOD (Lima/Elida), ALLISON WHITE(Lima/Shawnee) and EVA VOTH (Bluffton/Bluffton) all fired three shots in the victory over the Thunder while Bloom picked up three saves.

Bluffton returns home to face the Rose-Hulman Engineers on Saturday, October 21. Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m.