Bowling Green State University Athletics
Falcons Break from MAC Action to Host Bearcats
October 17, 2005 | Men's Soccer
Oct. 17, 2005
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BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - The Orange and Brown will take a break from MAC play to host instate competitor University of Cincinnati Bearcats for a mid-week contest...the Wednesday match-up at Mickey Cochrane Field will kick-off at 3:00 p.m...the Falcons will travel to Western Illinois University Sunday afternoon...the Falcons will take on the Leathernecks at 3:30 p.m.
Birds of a Feather Play Together
After making his first appearance of the season against UB, redshirt freshman Bent Petkus made his first collegiate start against No. 1 Akron on Sunday... on the weekend, Petkus had 11 saves in 135 minutes...Omari Aldridge continues to lead the Falcons offensive attack with 16 total points.
Defensive Stops
To date, the Falcons are 1-2 against nationally ranked teams...in each of the three games, the Falcons defenders have yet to allow a goal in the first half...BGSU was the first team in the past five No. 1 Akron opponents to hold the Zips scoreless in the first 45 minutes.
In the Past Week
BGSU: Defeated at No. 1 Akron 3-0...outscored at No. 21 University at Buffalo.
No. 18 UC: Lost to Syracuse in New York, 2-1...defeated at home, 2-1, when hosting Oakland.
WIU: Fell at No. 8 Duke, 2-0...beat Drake, 2-1, to earn second road win.
BGSU in the MAC
To date the Orange and Brown are 84-34-13 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 No. 18 Bearcats
The Cincinnati Bearcats enter the contest with a 7-5-2 overall record...4-2-2 BIG EAST conference record...the Bearcats are led by Hylton Dayes...UC returns five starters and 14 letterwinners from the 2004 Conference USA squad...Kenny Anaba and Omar Cummings lead UC's scoring with 13 points apiece...Mike Vessells has yet to leave the net and has recorded 51 saves...Vessells has posted three shut-outs this season...14 of UC's 21 season goals have come in the second half...Cincinnati is currently in third place in the BIG EAST red division...the Bearcats are currently on a three game losing streak.
The Series
BGSU holds the all-time advantage 6-1-1...the Falcons have outscored the Bearcats 15-10...in their first meeting, BGSU shutout UC, 3-0...in the last match, UC shutout the Falcons in Cincinnati, 6-0...UC has never won a game at Mickey Cochrane Field (4-0-1)...BGSU has posted four shutouts over UC.
Scouting the Leathernecks
The Western Illinois University Leathernecks are 4-8-0 overall and 2-1-0 in Mid-Continent Conference play...at home, WIU is 1-2-0...led by veteran coach Eric Johnson...WIU returns seven starters and 19 letterwinners from the 2004 MCC third place team...Jaman Nowaf leads WIU with six goals on 28 shots...Matt Wieclaw is responsible for two Leatherneck goals and one assist...WIU has utilized three keepers...Chris Frenz has started six games and has allowed 15 goals on 26 saves...Dave Hanlon has seen 301:18 minutes of action and has allowed five goals...Zach Mazgaj has also seen time and has a 2.00 goal average...WIU will warm-up for the Falcons with a trip to Valparaiso, Ind. to take on the conference rival Friday, Oct. 21.
The Series
This will be the third meeting between the programs (1-1-0)...BGSU took the first game in 1982 in a 3-0 decision at home...WIU won last year's contest, 3-0...the two are even in goals scored with three each...BGSU has never played at WIU.
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.
