Bowling Green State University Athletics
Men's Soccer To Visit Oakland And Kentucky This Week
October 17, 2000 | Men's Soccer
Oct. 17, 2000
The Bowling Green State University men's soccer team looks to continue its winning ways this afternoon as the Falcons play at Oakland University (4 p.m.). BG plays its final regular-season match away from Cochrane Field Friday night at Kentucky (8 p.m.).
BG has won three of its last four matches, all by shutouts, to improve to 5-6 overall and 2-1 in the Mid-American Conference. The Falcons currently sit in fourth place in the MAC at six points (three points for a win, one point for tie) with three league matches remaining.
BG won at Western Michigan, 2-0, last Wednesday behind goals from Chris Kraft and Ben Vaccaro. Matt Lyons assisted on both Falcon goals, while David DeGraff made two saves for the shutout.
The Falcons upended visiting Marshall, 1-0, Saturday at Cochrane Field. Gene Braxton scored his first goal of the season, and DeGraff made four saves to lower his goals-against average to 1.27. BG held Byron Carmichael, the conference's leading scorer (15 goals), to one shot attempt.
Falcon senior Adam Erhard assisted on Braxton's match-winner increasing his season total to six. His 0.60 assists per match rank him tied-for-19th in the country heading into today's contest.
DeGraff was selected as MAC Player of the Week for his back-to-back shutouts last week.
Oakland, which is ranked sixth in this week's Great Lakes region poll, enters today's match with an overall mark of 8-4-1. The Golden Grizzlies has won five of their last six matches, four by shutouts. BG will be trying to avenge a 1-0 setback at home last year to Oakland.
Anders Vollen leads the team in scoring with 11 points on five goals and one assist, while Inge Pedersen has three goals and three assists for nine points. Mike Skolnik has played every minute of every game this season for 20th year head coach Gary Parsons.
Kentucky has a 7-5 overall mark heading into Wednesday's contest against Indiana. The Wildcats have a 3-1 MAC record and are led in scoring by Chris McDaniel (3-1--7), Giovani Fernandes (2-3--7) and Chris Soler (2-3--7).
Brian O'Leary has played in 10 matches recording five shutouts and an 0.80 goals-against average for coach Ian Collins. UK won 1-0 at Buffalo last Friday. Last year UK defeated the Falcons 1-0 in BG's MAC opener.
Bowling Green will conclude the regular-season with three home matches in five days - Oct. 27 (Buffalo), Oct. 29 (Akron) and Oct. 31 (Michigan State).
