Bowling Green State University Athletics
Falcons Attempt to Steal Spotlight from Two Nationally Ranked Opponents
October 11, 2005 | Men's Soccer
Oct. 11, 2005
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BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - Bowling Green State University will have it's most grueling weekend when they travel to not one, but two ranked opponents fields...Friday's match will pair the Falcons with the No. 21 Buffalo Bulls... the evening match at UB Stadium will kick-off at 7:00 p.m....Sunday will pit the Orange and Brown against the nations current top squad, the University of Akron...kick-off for Sunday's match is set for 3:30 p.m.
Birds of a Feather Play Together
BGSU is 1-0 against nationally ranked opponents at game time...senior Dave Belfort scored his first goal of his senior campaign against WMU...senior Omari Aldridge continues to lead the Falcons with seven goals and two assists... Aldridge leads the MAC in shots (38) and spg (3.17)...freshman keeper Paul Shoemaker leads MAC in saves (58) and spg (5.27)...the Falcons lead the MAC in saves with 65.
In the past week:
BGSU: The Orange and Brown fell in the first weekend of MAC play to visitors NIU and WMU.
No. 21 UB: Shutout by Akron at home, 0-3 on Oct. 7...beat Boston College on the road, 2-0, on Oct. 2.
No. 1 Akron: Remains unbeaten after downing Ohio State and Penn State at home...PSU was the first team to score a goal on the Zips in five games.
BGSU in the MAC
To date the Orange and Brown are 84-32-13 in the Mid-American Conference...BGSU, along with Akron and former MAC foe Kentucky, lead the conference in overall tournament titles won (3)...the 2002 season was the last season in which BGSU held the title of MAC regular season champions...BGSU has made eight appearances in MAC Championship game...has a 16-7-1 MAC Tournament record.
Scouting the Bulls
The No. 21 University at Buffalo Bulls are 10-2-0...the Bulls are lead by John Astudillo, who has spent 17 years at UB...the Bulls return 8 starters and 15 letterwinners from the 2004 squad...the Bulls lead the MAC in shots with 206...averaging 2.64 gpg...lead the conference in corner kicks (70)...Andrae Clarke leads the MAC in assists (9) and apg (.75)...ranks 14th in the NCAA with 1.92 pgp...keeper Daniel Bell has recorded a third MAC best 5 shutouts.
The Series
The Falcons hold the all-time advantage with a 5-2 overall record...BGSU holds the scoring advantage with a 14-6 lead...the first meeting between the programs was in 1984...the last meeting was last season...both games had the same outcome, UB won in 1-2 OT...BGSU holds a 3-2 record in OT...the Falcons have shutout the Bulls four times...BGSU is undefeated if they score two or more goals.
Scouting the Zips
The No. 1 ranked University of Akron Zips bring a perfect 11-0-0 record into Sunday's match...Akron is coached by Ken Lolla...the veteran Zip is in his 13th season...Akron returns six starters and 12 lettermen from their 2004 MAC Conference Tournament Championship squad...key Zips include: keeper Evan Bush who has recorded a MAC second best 7 shutouts this season...the Zips keepers have allowed just four goals this season...Zip keepers have pitched 8 shutouts... Ross MacKenzie garnished the Conference POW award...Mackenzie leads the MAC in points (2.36), ppg (2.36). goals (11). and gpg (1)...third in the NCAA in ppg...as a team, the UA offense is averaging 3.64 gpg... the last Zips non-home win came on October 22, 2004 when they tied then MAC foe, UK, 1-1 in 2OT... the Zips are currently ranked not only atop the MAC, but have also reached the unanimous No. 1 ranking nationally.
The Series
In the storied history, Akron holds the all-time lead against the Falcons, 8-32-3...the Zips have outscored the Falcons, 40-116...BGSU has played the Zips at least once every season except in 1972 and 1973... in their first meeting, in 1966, Akron beat the Falcons 1-3...in the last meeting, in 2004, Akron shutout the Falcons, 4-0...the last time BGSU beat Akron was in 2002 when the Zips were shutout at Mickey Cochrane Field, 1-0...in regular season play, Akron holds the advantage of 5-29-3...the programs are even with a 3-3-0 MAC Conference tournament record...the Orange and Brown shutout the Zips four times (3-0-1)...this will be the 43 meeting between the programs.
Leading the Flock
Fred Thompson is in his second year as BGSU head coach after serving two seasons as assistant at the University of Evansville and two years at Bellevue Community College...named 2001 NWAACC Coach of the Year...became only the fourth head coach in the 40-year history of the BGSU program after accepting the job in April, 2004...played professionally for eight years...assistant coach Tony Economopoulos is in his third season with the Falcons...served two seasons as assistant coach at Western Illinois University...2002 AFLAC Insurance National Assistant Coach of the Year nominee...the coaching duo got their first win over then No.11 Ohio State University in a 3-2 double overtime victory.
