KALAMAZOO, MI ? Western Michigan's Stephanie Skowneski scored two goals to lead the host Broncos to a 2-1 victory over Toledo in Friday's Mid-American Conference opener for both teams at the WMU Soccer Complex. With today's loss, the Rockets fall to 5-3-0 overall, 0-1-0 in the league.
Skowneski gave the Broncos (2-6-0, 1-0-0 MAC) an early 1-0 lead in the 15th minute with her team-best third goal of the season. Teammate Annie Szczypka was credited with the assist. WMU goalie Julia Francy booted her punt halfway down the field and Szczypka headed it forward to Skowneski. She then beat a couple of UT defenders and fired a shot that found its way just inside the far post for the match's initial score.
The score remained the same until early in the second half when sophomore Erin Flynn found the back of the net for the first time this season in the 53rd minute. Junior Ali Leak setup the equalizer and earned her second assist in 2008. Flynn accepted a pass from Leak and ran across the top of the goal box, before lofting a shot over WMU's Francy and into the goal from the left corner.
Unfortunately for the Midnight Blue and Gold, WMU's Skowneski struck gold one final time for the eventual match winner on an assist from Nicole Dulyea at 72:49. The Rockets turned the ball over in their defensive end and the Broncos Dulyea found Skowneski on a run up the left side. She quickly gathered herself and blasted a shot on goal for the far post from about 15 yards out. The freshman forward has now tallied four of her team's six goals this season.
The two-time defending MAC tourney champs finished with a considerable 16-9 edge in shots, with senior Annie Sullivan, sophomore Sarah Blake and freshman Danielle Case paving the way with two shots each.
Freshman Vicki Traven went the distance between the posts and collected three shots but was tagged with the loss. Traven is now 3-1-1 in her first season at UT.
The Rockets return to action on Sunday, Sept. 28 when they travel to DeKalb, IL to battle Northern Illinois. The opening whistle is slated for 1:00 p.m. (CT) from the NIU Soccer and Track & Field Complex.
Western Michigan 2, TOLEDO 1
WMU: S. Skowneski (A. Szczypka), 14:37
UT: E. Flynn (A. Leak), 52:10
WMU: S. Skowneski (N. Dulyea), 72:49
SHOTS: UT 16, WMU 9
CORNER KICKS: UT 7, WMU 1
SAVES: UT 3, WMU 5
FOULS: UT 13, WMU 10
