Bowling Green State University Athletics
Kentucky Ends Bowling Green's Playoff Run and Season In MAC Tourney, 1-0
November 11, 2001 | Men's Soccer
Nov. 11, 2001
Akron, Ohio - Kentucky's Chris Soler headed in the lone goal of the Mid-American Conference semifinal match against No. 5 seed Bowling Green to end the Falcons' season at the University of Akron, 1-0. His goal came in the 54th minute for the No. 1-seeded Wildcats.
Both goalies played well and the defenses kept the offenses in check until Soler's goal at 53:25. BGSU's David DeGraff had five saves, including one from a shot by Annti Peltonen shortly before the deciding goal.
Jon Hundley received his second yellow cared in the 58th minute meaning Bowling Green had to play with only 10 players for the remainder of the game. BGSU had a chance to tie the game off of a header by Matt Leardini that just pushed over the crossbar later in the half.
"I thought we played well enough to win," BGSU coach Mel Mahler said. "We certainly didn't lose for lack of effort. I thought we still controlled the play (after Hundley's redcard), but we didn't finish the chances.
"Some games this year we had a lot of chances and some we had a few. But, in both cases we didn't take those opportunities and use them."
Kentucky outshot the Falcons 15-6 while BGSU had a 5-4 advantage in corner kicks.
Playing in their final game as a Falcon were seniors Tony Malik, Detrick Matthews, Kevin Wisniewski and Ben Vaccaro.
"There's a good nucleus returning, but we will be real sorry to see the four seniors go," Mahler said. "I personally will miss them and the program is only better for having them."
Matthews led the team in scoring this year with six goals and one assist (13 points) while Malik headed up a defense that allowed more than one goal just three times all season. Vaccaro finished his senior year with one goal and two assists.
Bowling Green ends the season with a 8-8-1 overall record.
