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Bowling Green State University Athletics
BGSU Announces 2007 Men's Soccer Schedule
June 29, 2007 | Men's Soccer
June 29, 2007
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio (BGSUFalcons.com) - Bowling Green State University men's soccer head coach Fred Thompson has announced the team's schedule for the 2007 season. The Falcons are slated to play a total of 18 regular-season matches, with a weekend tournament kicking off the eight-match home schedule.
The Falcons will play non-conference matches against teams from no fewer than nine different leagues. The schedule includes three games vs. Big Ten Conference squads, including a home match vs. Ohio State, while the Brown and Orange will also meet three 2006 NCAA Championships participants, including non-league foes George Mason and Cincinnati.
"Once again we are set to play a very strong schedule," said Thompson. "Our out-of-conference schedule is set up to give us the best shot at getting an at-large bid. We play several NCAA Tournament teams along with some traditional powerhouses."
The Falcons will play a pair of exhibitions, heading to Cleveland State (Aug. 19) and hosting Oakland (Aug. 24). The schedule begins in earnest on Aug. 31, with BGSU facing Florida International in the first of four-straight road matches to open the regular season.
Matches against Florida Atlantic (Sept. 2), GMU (Sept. 7) and American (Sept. 9) round out that road swing. GMU is Thompson's alma mater, as the Falcon mentor was a standout player with the Patriots and was inducted into that school's Soccer Hall of Fame last year.
The Falcons' home schedule begins with the BGSU Invitational at Cochrane Field on Sept. 14-16. The Brown and Orange will face Central Arkansas and Canisius in that tourney, with Detroit rounding out the four-team field.
BGSU concludes a three-match homestand with a game vs. OSU at Cochrane Field on Thursday, Sept. 20. The month of September winds up with a pair of road contests, at Wright State (Sept. 23) and Buffalo (Sept. 28). The latter match marks BGSU's Mid-American Conference opener for '07.
"The MAC will be even stronger this year than it has been over the last couple of years," said Thompson. "The addition of Hartwick as a member demonstrates the conference's commitment to men's soccer and the quality of the sport in the MAC.
"I am excited about MAC play this year. As tough as our non-conference schedule is, the conference games are always a notch above that in intensity. Every game is hotly contested and every game has huge implications. Records mean nothing in conference play. You have to be the best team on that particular day, because all six programs are capable of winning -- and are currently planning to win -- the conference this year."
BG heads to Michigan State on Oct. 3 to conclude a three-game road swing, before hosting IPFW four days later. The Mastodons competed as a member of the MAC in men's soccer over the past few seasons, but have left the conference to join the Summit League.
After a Oct. 10 trip to UC to face another '06 NCAA tourney participant, the Falcons will host the school that replaced IPFW in the MAC men's soccer configuration. Hartwick College, a traditional men's soccer power, comes to town on Sunday, Oct. 14.
Trips to Michigan (Oct. 17) and perennial MAC power Akron (Oct. 20) follow, before BGSU closes the regular season with a three-match swing at Cochrane. BG will face UDM (Oct. 24) in the final non-conference game, before meeting Western Michigan (Oct. 27) and defending MAC Tournament champion Northern Illinois (Nov. 2) prior to the '07 league tourney.
The MAC Tournament begins with first-round 'play-in' games on Nov. 13, followed by the semifinals on Nov. 16 and the championship two days later. The winner of that championship contest will represent the conference in the NCAA Championships.
"NIU will undoubtedly be looking to repeat what they accomplished last season," said Thompson. "As usual, they will be big, strong and difficult to play. Coach (Steve) Simmons will have them very well prepared for each game.
"Akron was a bubble team for the NCAA Tournament last season, and this year they will not want to leave it up to the committee to decide. They will be difficult to break down and added a very dangerous forward in the spring.
"Buffalo always does a great job of blending talent to create a physical and skillful unit. They too have picked up a talented transfer who will cause a lot of headaches for opposing defenses. We play them in Buffalo where they have tremendous fan support.
"Western Michigan is always a tough opponent. Coach (Chris) Karwoski has a way of picking up some very talented players late in the process and adding them to a very determined and committed group. This makes for a hard-working squad that can strike at you at any moment.
"Hartwick is a traditional soccer power, and they join the conference with the intent of having a great showing in their first season. The Hawks were 8-10-2 in 2006 after going 13-6-1 in '05, and are looking to bounce back this season.
"Again this year, we know that every game will be a challenge in the MAC. Our non-conference schedule is set up to prepare us as well as possible for the rigorous conference regular-season and tournament run."
The Falcons went 4-14-1 overall last year, but earned a road win in the first round of the MAC Tournament before seeing the season come to an end in the semifinal round. Thompson and new assistant coach Ken White return 13 letterwinners from last year's squad.
BGSU MEN'S SOCCER - 2007 SCHEDULE
August
Sun., 19 -- at Cleveland State (Exhib.)
Fri., 24 -- OAKLAND (Exhib.)
Fri., 31 -- at Florida International
September
Sun., 2 --- at Florida Atlantic
Fri., 7 --- at George Mason
Sun., 9 --- at American
Fri., 14 -- CENTRAL ARKANSAS (BGSU Invitational)
Sun., 16 -- CANISIUS (BGSU Invitational)
Thu., 20 -- OHIO STATE
Sun., 23 -- at Wright State
Fri., 28 -- at Buffalo *
October
Wed., 3 --- at Michigan State
Sun., 7 --- IPFW
Wed., 10 -- at Cincinnati
Sun., 14 -- HARTWICK *
Wed., 17 -- at Michigan
Sat., 20 -- at Akron *
Wed., 24 -- DETROIT
Sat., 27 -- WESTERN MICHIGAN *
November
Fri., 2 --- NORTHERN ILLINOIS *
Tue., 13 -- MAC Tournament 'Play-In' Round
Fri., 16 -- MAC Tournament Semifinals
Sun., 18 -- MAC Tournament Championship
* MAC match
HOME matches played at Cochrane Field
