BLOG 7: Ferris falls just short in upset bid of Lakers

By Sandy Gholston

Ferris State’s Ashley Erickson (27) battles for the ball against Grand Valley State’s Jenna Wenglinski (15) during Sunday afternoon’s Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference match at the FSU Soccer Field (Photo/Sandy Gholston)

BIG RAPIDS – Rains that soaked Top Taggart Field during Ferris State University’s football opener, on Saturday, decided to hang around for Sunday’s home Bulldog soccer opener against top-ranked Grand Valley State.

Facing one of the nation’s best teams and premier women’s soccer programs, the Bulldogs found the fine line between victory and defeat to be extremely fine. Soccer, as is so often the case, plays out as a game of breaks – specifically, taking advantage of breaks.

Ferris was awarded a penalty kick opportunity, late in the second half, with the Lakers nursing a 2-0 advantage on the scoreboard. Maegan Smith’s shot, awarded as she was hauled down on a breakaway attempt, was denied in spectacular fashion by Laker keeper Kristina Nasturzio. That great stop, at 81:53 proved costly as Erika Pitroff scored her first goal of the season … seconds later (82:28) to pretty much seal the victory.

“That’s the nature of the game,” Ferris head soccer coach Neathan Gibson said as his team came within an eyelash of upsetting the nation’s top Division II women’s soccer program. “Grand Valley is a very good soccer team and they do not make a whole lot of mistakes. One of the things that a very good team does is it capitalizes on mistakes (or missed opportunities) from the other team.”

If you have any questions, ideas or comments feel free to contact Sandy Gholston at sgholston2@netzero.com