BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - Redshirt freshman Shannon Van Riper's goal in the 17th minute proved to be all the offense the Bonnies needed on Friday night, as the St. Bonaventure women's soccer team earned its first shutout victory of the season with a 1-0 win at Bowling Green on Cochran Field.
Co-starting with Van Riper in the Brown and White's second straight win was freshman keeper Kathryn Kerkman, who made her second career start. Kerkman made seven saves in the game, including three over the final six minutes, to improve to 2-0.
"Any win on the road and particularly a shutout is a good result, especially against a very organized and determined Bowling Green side," said head coach Manoj Khettry. "I still think we have a few levels to go to improve and we should have finished a few more chances but it was a good win and we got great play from every player."
The win evens St. Bonaventure's record at 3-3 and snaps a school record 11-game home unbeaten streak for Bowling Green. The loss also snaps a two-game shutout streak for the Falcons, who also even out at 3-3.
The Bonnies supplied plenty of pressure over the opening minutes, generating three shots and three corner kicks by the 17-minute mark. Sophomore Tori Burchett nearly capitalized on the second corner kick, but her shot was turned away at the goal line by a BGSU defender.
Van Riper's second career game-winning goal in just 12 games came on the team's third corner kick at the 16:23 mark. Sophomore defender Janelle Taylor's corner kick skipped through the box right to Van Riper who re-directed the ball with her left foot and into the net. Taylor now has an assist in three straight games.
That was all the offense Kerkman and the Bona defense needed as none of Bowling Green's nine shots found the net. The Bonnies owned a slight edge with 11 shots, while also producing nine of the game's nine corner kicks.
St. Bonaventure will wrap up its swing through Ohio with its third straight contest against a Mid-American Conference (MAC) opponent. The Bonnies will take on MAC preseason favorite Toledo on Sunday at 1 p.m. The Brown and White are 2-1 against MAC opponents this season.
