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Bowling Green State University Athletics
BGSU Men's Soccer In the Thick of MAC Title
October 23, 2002 | Men's Soccer
Oct. 23, 2002
Bowling Green, Ohio -
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Bowling Green Has Chance to Clinch Share of MAC Title
When Bowling Green hosts the University of Akron this Sunday, Oct. 27, at Cochrane Field, the Falcons may be playing for a share of the Mid-American Conference Regular-Season title. The Falcons (3-1-0) currently sit atop the MAC standings with nine points, tied with Buffalo (3-2-0), who BGSU beat on Sept. 29, 3-0. Akron enters the weekend in a three-way tie for second place with six points (2-0-0). The Zips, though, have four league games left going into this weekend compared to BGSU's one. If the Zips lose to Buffalo on Friday, Oct. 25, BGSU could clinch a share of the MAC title with a win over Akron on Sunday.
NOTE: BGSU's game at league foe Kentucky was cancelled on Sept. 27 due to weather conditions, leaving the Falcons one conference game short of Akron's six games.
Falcons Wrap Up 2002 Regular Season at Cochrane Field
BGSU plays its final five games of the 2002 regular season at friendly Mickey Cochrane Field. The Falcons began the five-game homestand on Sunday with a double-overtime win against Marshall (2-1). BGSU hosts IPFW (1 p.m., Friday) and Akron (3 p.m., Sunday) this weekend before ending the regular season with visits from Michigan State (Nov. 1, 3:30 p.m.) and Cleveland State (Nov. 3, 2 p.m.).
BGSU Coach Mel Mahler Earns 100th Falcon Victory
Bowling Green coach Mel Mahler earned his 100th victory as head coach of the Falcons on Sunday, Oct. 20, with a 2-1 double-overtime win against Marshall. The win moved Mahler's record with the Brown and Orange to 100-64-8 (.605 pct.) in nine seasons. His overall 12-year-career record as a head coach now stands at 118-96-10 (.549 pct.).
Falcons Turning It On At Right Time
After a disappointing 0-8 start to the 2002 season, the Falcons have a chance to record one of the most dramatic turnarounds in the program's 37-year history. BGSU's three wins this season have come against MAC opponents and have the Falcons set up for a run at the school's third MAC Regular Season Championship. The march began with a 3-0 win against Buffalo on Sept. 29, snapping a nine-game losing streak dating back to last season. The Falcons followed that with a 2-1 decision on the road over Northern Illinois (Oct. 6). A non-conference loss at Michigan (2-0) snapped the two-game winning streak and then Western Michigan broke a 13-year winless streak against the Falcons with a 1-0 win in Kalamazoo. The double-overtime win on Sunday (Oct. 20) over Marshall returned the Falcons to the top of the MAC standings. BGSU has won three of its last five matches.
Paul Seip Gets Into the Act
Freshman Paul Seip scored his first two collegiate goals and BGSU's only two goals of the game in a 2-1 double overtime victory against Marshall on Oct. 20. Seip's first career netter came midway through the second half to knot the game at 1-1 and his second tally came just 1:13 into the second overtime to push the Falcons' league record to 3-1. He is now tied for the team lead in points (two goals, three assists).
Newcomers Making Their Mark for Falcons
Of the 12 goals scored this season by the Falcons, 10 have come off of the foot of a player in his first season at BGSU. Junior-transfer Paul Dhaliwal is tied for the team lead with freshman Robert Aouad with three goals. Frosh Paul Seip has two goals (both scored on Sunday vs. Marshall), while fellow freshmen Francisco Jose Sanchez and Adrian Akpan have one goal apiece. The only returning lettermen with goals this year are senior Matt Leardini and junior Matt Martinka.
