Final Stats

TOLEDO, OH - A goal by sophomore Suzi Siwinski midway through the first half proved to be the match winner as the Toledo women's soccer team recorded a 1-0 win over IPFW. The non-conference match was held at Scott Park Friday afternoon.

Junior Jen Whipple recorded the eighth shutout of her collegiate career and the Rockets improved to 4-2 on the season. The Mastodons dropped to 0-4-1.

"We did a much better job creating scoring opportunities for ourselves today than we have all year," said Toledo Head Coach Brad Evans, who won his 100th career game as a collegiate coach. "We hit the post or cross bar four times, so we did a lot better in that respect which is a positive. In the same breathe, though, there some little things we have to do better if we're going to get positive results in the conference."

The Rockets pushed the action early and had their first quality scoring opportunity just over two minutes into the contest when junior Diana Ginley broke free on a breakaway, but her shot ricochetted off the cross bar.

The two teams would battle for control of the ball for the next 20-or-so minutes, until IPFW claimed its best scoring chance of the match. The Mastodons had a direct free kick just inside the UT goal box, but Anika Apar's shot was deflected off a UT defender and cleared out of danger.

Toledo continued to mount an attack in the opening 45 minutes and had another golden opportunity in the 31st minute, as sophomore Pene Hughes received a pass across the front of the goal from senior Pam Richard, but Hughes' shot hit the inside of the post.

With 33 minutes gone in the first half, however, a UT chance materialized seemingly out of nowhere, and the Rockets took advantage. Siwinski won a free ball midway between the top of the IPFW goal box and midfield and launched a shot from about 40-yards out which sailed over the head of IPFW goalkeeper Shannon Lynn for the eventual game winner and her first goal of the season.

The Rockets had to maintain the lead for the final 47 minutes, and the home team had several chances in the latter portion of the game to increase the lead. Senior Kelly Langenbeck got free on another break away at 77:36, but IPFW's Lynn was able to cut down the angle and block the ball out of bounds. UT's last good scoring effort came minutes later at 82:04 as Hughes took a cross from freshman Laura Mecklenborg and hit a shot that Lynn was able to barely get a finger on and direct toward the post.

The Rockets held a 14-12 advantage in total shots, with Hughes taking four. UT had five shots on goal to the Mastodons' three.Whipple, as mentioned, stopped all three IPFW SOGs to earn the shutout, while Lynn made four saves.

Toledo returns to action on Sunday, Sept. 18 to wrap-up the non-conference portion of its schedule against Cleveland State. Game time from Krenzler Field is slated for 1:00 p.m.

UT 1, IPFW 0

UT: S. Siwinski (Unassisted), 33:05

SHOTS: UT 14, IPFW 12
SAVES: UT 3, IPFW 4
CORNER KICKS: UT 7, IPFW 2
FOULS: UT 14, IPFW 6