Aug. 24, 2008
Contact: Greg Murphy
CLEVELAND, Ohio - Toledo's Sarah Blake scored two early second half goals and Kristen Lynn added a goal late to lift the Rockets over Cleveland State, 3-0, in the season opener for both teams on Sunday afternoon at Krenzler Field.
"I saw some good things in the first half, but they made some adjustments and really attacked us in the second half," head coach Derrek Falor said. "It's a long season and we are going to have to work some things out and find out what personnel suits us best.
"But it's funny because this is a game of inches. And sometimes the ball doesn't bounce your way."
Falor was referring to a big break the Vikings got with 10 minutes left in the first half when the Rockets were whistled for a hand ball inside the box.
Senior Jennifer Wieand stepped up to take the penalty kick, but Toledo's Angela Righeimer guessed correctly, lunging to her left and knocked the ball away. Clare Barry followed up the save with a shot of her own, but Righeimer turned that shot away too.
"Who knows how the game turns out if Jenni is able to convert there," Falor said. "We could have had a lead and a lot of momentum going into the half. But it just wasn't our day today."
Following a scoreless first half, Blake gave Toledo a 1-0 lead just two minutes into the second half when she knocked in a loose ball in front of the goal off a corner kick by Molly Cornwell. It was just two minutes later that Blake extended the Rockets lead to 2-0 when she intercepted a clearance pass and scored her second goal of the day.
Lynn put the game away in the 74th minute when she blasted a shot from 15 yards out past CSU's Kelly Zinkiewich, who was peppered with 14 shots and finished with seven saves.
Righeimer had three saves in the first half before being relieved by Vicki Traven for the second half as the duo combined for the shutout.
The Vikings will return to action on Friday (Aug. 29) when CSU travels to Olean, N.Y. for a 5:00 p.m. contest at St. Bonaventure.
