GERMANTOWN, Md. – For all of the great scoring chances in this inspired offensive match, it took a defender’s header to make the difference as Frostburg State (2-0) dodged a barrage of bullets fired from the feet of the Catholic Cardinals Saturday afternoon to win, 1-0, at the Maryland SoccerPlex.

Box Score

Senior defender Heather Fleishell (Middletown, Md./Middletown) headed home a Liz Seligman (Rockville, Md./St. John’s College) corner kick in the 79th minute to keep the Bobcats perfect in the young season.

The Bobcats were fortunate to only need the one goal to notch the victory. The Cardinals launched 17 shots, with many of those on legitimate scoring opportunities. Each time, the Bobcats’ defense rose to the challenge.

Catholic (1-1) had its best opportunity early in the second half. Four different Cardinals took a shot in that 45-second span, but each failed to find the back of the net. Senior goalkeeper Michelle Buckmaster (St. Leonard, Md./Calvert) made a pair of saves in the sequence, while her crossbar saved her on sophomore midfielder Carolyn Girandola’s strike from 25 yards out. A header went wide, and the Cardinals’ best chance to score had passed.

Buckmaster notched her second shutout in as many games with her seven-save performance.

Until Fleishell’s header, the Bobcats’ best scoring chances in the second half came from sophomore Amanda Wharton (Mt. Airy. Md./South Carroll). A left-footed shot on a hard drive was turned away by Catholic goalkeeper Christina Cassidy in the 60th minute, and a solid shot sailed wide just minutes before Fleishell knocked home the game winner.

Wharton led all players with four shots. Fleishell’s goal was her first of the season.

Each team managed excellent scoring chances in the first half. Catholic sophomore forward Regina Zolbrod had two shots on goal in the first seven minutes, including a clear chance from just outside the 18-yard box. Both times, though, she was turned away by Buckmaster.

The Bobcats two shots on goal in the first half came in succession, as senior Lauren Russell (Waldorf, Md./Westlake) and Wharton boomed shots from close range. As with Buckmaster, Cassidy stood tall.

The Bobcats return to the field Thursday when they travel to Hood in their Capital Athletic Conference opener at 4:30 pm.