Bowling Green State University Athletics
Falcons Open Up League Play on Friday
September 25, 2003 | Men's Soccer
Sept. 25, 2003
Bowling Green, Ohio -
BGSU at #23 Akron
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BGSU Kicks Off League Action & Hosts Michigan
The Bowling Green men's soccer team will kick off Mid-American Conference action Friday night at #23 Akron (7:30 p.m.), while it hosts Michigan on Sunday (3:30 p.m.). Friday's game will be played at Lee Jackson Field under the lights and will be the first ranked opponent BGSU has faced since defeating Wis.-Milwaukee in the Diadora Classic Championship, Sept. 23, 2001 (1-0 2 OT). The Falcons will host the Wolverines at Mickey Cochrane Field on Sunday.
Series History
BGSU trails the all-time series with Akron, 8-29-3, in 40 meetings since 1966. The two teams met twice last season with the Falcons winning the regular-season matchup, 1-0, and losing in the MAC Championship match, 4-1. The Falcons have faced Michigan just three times since the Wolverines started men's soccer in 2000. BGSU holds a 2-1 lead in the series.
About the Competition
Akron suffered its second loss of the season on Sunday, Sept. 21, with a 2-1 loss at nationally-ranked Oakland. The Zips had either won or tied five-straight before dropping the one-goal decision to the Grizzlies. UA is led by Alex Odwell with four goals and two assists while goalkeeper Justin Christafaris has allowed just five goals in over 650 minutes.
Michigan begins the weekend with a 5-3 record with Mychal Turpin leading the team with six goals and one assist. The Wolverines are coming off of a 2-0 win over South Florida and are 1-1-1 vs. Top-25 opponents this year.
BGSU Coach Mel Mahler
Mel Mahler is in his 17th year with the Falcon Soccer program and 10th as head coach. He was named full-time head coach in March 1995 after serving as interim coach following the death of long-time Falcon coach Gary Palmisano in December 1994. Mahler has a career coaching record of 123-101-12 (.549) in 12 years and a 105-69-10 (.602) record at Bowling Green in nine seasons.
Paul Seip Racking Up the Points
Sophomore Paul Seip played a role in each of the three goals scored by BGSU at last weekend's UNLV Classic. Seip assisted on Dustin Snyder's goal on Sept. 19 in a 1-1 tie vs. San Diego State. He then scored BGSU's first goal on Sept. 21 vs. UNLV and assisted on the second in a 3-2 setback to the Runnin Rebels. Seip leads the team with seven points and is tied for the team lead with three assists.
Snyder Nets First Career Goal
Freshman Dustin Snyder netted his first collegiate goal on Sept. 19 in a 1-1 tie vs. San Diego State at the UNLV Classic. Snyder has also chipped in two assists already in for four points in six games.
DeGraff the Man In the Middle for Falcons
The Sept. 21 match at UNLV marked David DeGraff's 60th-consecutive start in net for the Falcons. DeGraff has started every match for Mel Mahler since he stepped on campus three years ago. DeGraff has played in a total of 60 matches for 5,514:55 minutes during his career.
Falcons Picked 3rd in MAC Preseason Poll
BGSU was picked to finish third in the 2003 MAC Preseason Coaches Poll, released in early August by the conference office. Voting was conducted by the league's seven coaches. Akron was picked to finish first while Kentucky was tabbed to come in second, but to win the MAC Tournament. Following BGSU were Marshall, Western Michigan, Buffalo and Northern Illinois.
Adkins Nets First Career Goal
RS-Sophomore Kyle Adkins scored his first career goal at Stetson on Sunday, Sept. 14, in a 3-1 BGSU win. Adkins, who missed all of last season due a torn ACL, scored his first goal in just his fourth collegiate game. He did not play in the 2001 season.
