Bowling Green State University Athletics
Men's Soccer Prepares To Host Tournament
September 19, 2000 | Men's Soccer
Sept. 19, 2000
The Bowling Green State University men's soccer team plays at Dayton (7:30) on Wednesday before hosting the BGSU Soccer Classic this Saturday and Sunday at Cochrane Field. Oakland, Ohio State and Vanderbilt are the schools participating in the tournament.
The Falcons won their only match last week posting a 2-1 triumph at Detroit on Sept. 14. The victory was the 100th collegiate win for BG head coach Mel Mahler.
Bowling Green opened the scoring against the Titans when senior Tommy Thomas (Elida, Ohio) tallied his second of the campaign off an assist from classmate Matt Lyons (Maineville, Ohio/Cincinnati Moeller) just 2:18 into the match.
The Titans scored the equalizer exactly three minutes later as Marcel Flemming scored his team-leading fourth goal with an assist from Emil Calixterio.
Neither team would score for the next 83 minutes as Falcon goalkeeper David DeGraff (Naperville, Ill./Central) and Titan netminders Michael McAfee and Jim Grewe turned aside all shots on goal until BG senior Chris Kraft (North Olmsted, Ohio) tallied the match-winning goal with 1:10 left in regulation.
The marker was Kraft's first goal since the 1998 Mid-American Conference tournament, and only his third career goal. DeGraff finished the match with six saves (three in each half), while McAfee and Grewe were each credited with one save.
Wednesday's match in Dayton marks the 24th meeting between the two schools with BG holding a 16-7 advantage. The Falcons have recorded 11 shutouts and have outscored the Flyers 59-23 in the previous 23 contests. BG is 6-4 in matches played in Dayton. Bowling Green won the only overtime meeting, 2-1 at Dayton, on Nov. 11, 1984. The Falcons won the last meeting in Dayton (Sept. 11, 1998), 1-0, on a goal by Fred Degand.
The Flyers will take a 4-2 record into Wednesday's contest against the Falcons after defeating Wright State, 2-1, in their home opener on Sept. 18. UD is led offensively by senior forward R.J. Kaszuba (5-1--11) and sophomore forward Sunday Isename (3-1--7). Junior Matt Hutchins (3-2, 1.60) and senior Jeff Krempec (4-3 OT win over Cincinnati) have both seen time for first-year head coach Dave Schureck. Dayton is ranked eighth in this week's Great Lakes region poll.
The 2000 BGSU Classic features two matches on both Saturday and Sunday. Saturday's 1 p.m. contest has Vanderbilt against Oakland, while BG faces Ohio State at 3 p.m. Sunday's 1 p.m. match has Ohio State playing the Golden Grizzlies of Oakland, with the Falcons playing the 3 p.m. game against the Commodores of Vanderbilt.
Ohio State will enter the BGSU Classic with a 4-1-1 record following Friday's double overtime 0-0 tie versus ninth-ranked Virginia Commonwealth and Saturday's 2-1 victory over the College of Charleston. The Buckeyes are ranked third in this week's Great Lakes region poll. OSU is led offensively by senior Brian Feldhaus (3-3--9) and sophomore Justin Cook (2-2--6). Redshirt junior Kerry Thompson has played all but 27 minutes between the pipes for the Buckeyes and has a 0.83 goals-against average.
Bowling Green has an all-time mark of 23-6-2 against Ohio State including a record of 12-2 at home. The Falcons have recorded 18 shutouts and lead in goals scored 64-25. BG and the Buckeyes played to a 1-1 (OT) tie in the last meeting, on Sept. 13, 1998, in Columbus.
Vanderbilt University (Nashville, Tenn.) will take a 2-4 record into Saturday's match. The Commodores are led by sophomore Charlie White (2-0--4, 2-MWG) and freshman Jimmy Stone (1-1--3). Randy Johnson is in his 28th year at Vanderbilt and has used three different starting goalkeepers this season (Mike Fach, 0-1-0, 14.00, Matt Gotterer, 0-1-0, 5.00, and Brad Winter, 2-2-0, 1.09). VU defeated Cornell (2-0), but lost to James Madison (2-1) last weekend.
Bowling Green has never faced the Commodores.
Oakland has a 2-1-1 record and is ranked seventh in this week's Great Lakes region poll. The Golden Grizzlies, who will play at Marquette on Tuesday, are led offensively by Anders Vollen (3-0--6), Jeff Beeler (1-1--3) and Paul Snape (1-1--3). Goalkeeper Mike Skolnik has played every minute this season and has a 0.92 goals-against average.
Ticket prices for each day are $4 for adults and $2 for youth (high school age and under). BGSU students are admitted free with ID. Children under 4 are free and a weekend pass will be available for $6.
