Oct. 1, 2010

Final Stats

By: Robert Ivory

CLEVELAND, Ohio--After a tough offensive first half, Taylor Vidovic scored a second half wonder game-winning goal Friday night at Krenzler Field. Natalie Daniels assisted on the goal for most helpers in Cleveland State history (11) and tied for most points (38).

"It took us a lot of opportunities to stretch them apart," head coach Derrek Falor said. "We felt that we had to keep possession of the ball and make it tough on them. Youngstown State makes it difficult because they put a lot of people behind the ball."

The Vikings controlled most of the possession in the first half, but could not the final touches it needed. The team ended with just one shot on goal in the first half, from Natalie Daniels, and could not connect in the attacking third.

"There were plenty of times in the first half when our forwards could not break down the last defender," Falor said. "We have to win the 1 v. 1 battle, we are winning them defensively."

Despite the offence having troubles, the Cleveland State defense was stellar, as it has been all year.

"We are healthy again," Falor said. "It gives us a better opportunity defensively."

The highlight for the defense in the first half belonged to goalie Kelly Zinkiewich. With 8:08 left, Youngstown State corner won a corner. The centering cross had to be punched away by Zinkiewich, but the rebound fell to Penguin Katie Peterlin sitting on top of the 18 yard box. Peterlin rocked a shot to the left hand side of the net that Zinkiewich had to make a fantastic diving save to keep out of the net.

"It was the same old, same old with her," Falor said of his goalie. "She reads her angles really well and makes all the saves she has to make."

That save was just one of her four on the night, with just one coming in the second half. It also pushes her ongoing school record of career clean sheets to 12.

The Vikings got the only goal just ten minutes after the restart, as Taylor Vidovic, a halftime sub, notched her first collegiate goal. The goal started from Viking defender Marina Taylor, who played a ball down the left side to Natalie Daniels. Daniels dribbled, gave a little flick of the ball to Vidovic in the top corner of the 18-yard box. Vidovic took a right-footed shot and bended a terrific ball across the goal and into the right side of the net.

"I don't think we ever had the luxury of bringing people off of the bench that can change the game like we have this year," Falor said. "I was proud of Taylor, she hasn't played in three weeks, but created some opportunities. I think it gives us some opportunities when we have long weekends," Falor said.

With that assist, Daniels reaches 17 points on the year (seven goals and ten assists) and ties her with Jennifer Wieand for most points in a career at Cleveland State. The assist also is her eleventh in her career, which breaks the school record previously shared by Wieand (2004-08) and Lisa Conway (2005-06).

The game winner moved the Vikings to 6-5-2. It also moved the team to 2-1 in the Horizon League with six points, which is tops of the table with Milwaukee (2-1).

The Vikings nearly added a second with 17 minutes left to play. Daniels possessed the ball in the corner, dribbled down the goal line, passed the ball across the goal, to a waiting Samantha Salamon. Salamon ripped the shot from around the penalty are, beat the goalie, but hit the top bar to deny the Vikings a 2-0 lead.

Youngstown State falls to 3-9 overall and 1-2 in the Horizon League.

Cleveland State next have a weekend road trip with games on Friday (Oct 8) at Loyola, with a 8:00 p.m. ET kick and a noon kickoff on Sunday (Oct 10) in Detroit.