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Bowling Green State University Athletics
Falcons Avenge Regular Season Loss With Quarterfinal Win At WMU
October 31, 2006 | Men's Soccer
Oct. 31, 2006
KALAMAZOO, MI - Arun Sathyanathan's first goal as a Falcon turned into the game winning goal as the Falcons took game one of the Mid-American Conference Tournament quarterfinal round. Sixth seed Bowling Green's 2-1 victory over the third seed Western Michigan marked their first MAC tournament victory over the Broncos in three outings.
The last time BGSU (4-13-1) faced Western Michigan (6-12-1) in the opening round of the MAC Tournament, WMU took the 2-0 shutout decision in 2005. In their only other meeting, WMU beat the Falcons 5-0 in the 2003 MAC Championship.
In what was a situation reversal from the previous encounter where BGSU scored first en route to a 2-1 loss in the conference season finale, Western Michigan's Terry Dowding broke the stalemate by scoring at the 6:08 mark. Dowding's lone goal for the Bronco's came on a low shot from Tom Oatley along the goal line off a throw-in.
"We were not in the match mentality when Western scored," said head coach Fred Thompson of the score.
The Bronco's held the lead until Jacob Lawrence netted the first of two Falcon first half goals. His strike at 17:13 marked the second time in as many matches for Lawrence to place BGSU on the scoreboard. Lawrence's only other score on the season - and in his Falcon career came - on Friday against WMU.
"I am beginning to think Jacob may want to move here," noted a jovial Thompson. "Like Friday's goal, he scored off a corner kick but today's goal bounced off his foot from about 10 yards out."
Alec Perea is credited with the assist on Lawrence's goal. Perea has lent a foot on four Falcon scores this season and currently leads all Falcons in the category.
Bowling Green's game winning goal came at the first half clock reached the 42nd minute. Sathyanathan took a powerful shot from the side chalk line between 25 -15 yards out across the box and over WMU's keeper Casey Aubil head. Fellow rookie Drew Nichols contributed on the score.
Aubil finished the match with seven saves. The BGSU defense did not allow the Bronco's near sophomore keeper Paul Shoemaker who recorded just three saves. The BGSU back four allowed 12 shots with just three on goal.
In the second half, the Falcons maintained their one goal lead to upset Western Michigan on their home turf. Bowling Green had not won in Kalamazoo since their regular season 2-0 shutout victory in 2000.
"Western Michigan came out of the half fired up but we created numerous opportunities to put the game out of reach," said Thompson. "I am very happy with today's performance. We see the tournament as a new season and currently we are 1-0."
The Orange and Brown will now face second seed Akron in the semifinal round in DeKalb, Illinois on Friday afternoon at 3:00 p.m.
The Zips are yet another opponent the Falcons have fresh in their mind. Akron invaded Bowling Green on October 20 and won the final home contest of 2006 by a score of 4-1.
"We are ready for a rematch," said Thompson. "By the time a team reaches this point in the season, everyone is evenly matched and the games are competitive. There will not be any blow-outs."
With the win, the Birds of Prey move to 3-2 on the road in the month of October.
In other MAC tournament outings, fourth seed Buffalo beat fifth seed IPFW in New York, 3-0. The Bulls will next see No. 1 Northern Illinois.
