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Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
IPFW
Two Late Goals Lift Falcons Past IPFW, 2-0
September 19, 2008 | Men's Soccer
Sept. 19, 2008
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BOWLING GREEN, Ohio (BGSUFalcons.com) - Jacob Lawrence and Thomas McLean each scored in the final 10 minutes of the second half to lift the Bowling Green State University men's soccer team past visiting IPFW, 2-0, Friday afternoon (Sept. 19). The match, the opening game of the three-team BGSU Invitational, was held at Cochrane Field.
With the win, the Falcons improve to 3-3-0 on the year, and BGSU has won three consecutive contests. The Mastodons drop to 0-5-1 on the young season.
BGSU outshot the visitors, 14-7, and the Falcons had a 7-0 advantage in shots on goal. Senior Paul Shoemaker broke up several IPFW scoring chances, but did not officially have a save in earning the shutout victory.
The teams battled through more than 80 minutes of scoreless soccer before Lawrence got his second game-winning goal in as many matches. The junior, stationed near the end line to the right of IPFW goalkeeper Michael Knitter, headed a ball toward the goal. That ball was deflected, but the hustling Lawrence was the first one to the loose ball and hammered it home from two yards out. That goal came at the 80:33 mark.
Just over five minutes later, the Falcons struck again. Gavin Dozier's corner kick from the northeast quadrant of Cochrane Field found Cameron Hepple on the left side of the penalty area. Hepple fired a shot from about 15 yards out, which McLean redirected into the net.
The Falcons very nearly got a goal with approximately 10 minutes gone. A long throw-in by Vuk Krkeljic was deflected by a Falcon teammate. The backheel try got past Knitter, but hit off the far (left) post.
With just over 12 minutes left in the first half, Hunter Van Houten took a free kick from approximately 20 yards out. Van Houten's shot was hard and low, and forced Knitter to make a diving stop.
Arguably IPFW's best scoring chance of the first half came with three minutes left before the half. A pass by Kevin Crombie put Max Touloute through on the left side, but Touloute fired wide of the near post.
BGSU's Dusko Topolic made several nifty moves and poked a 25-yard shot in the final minute of the half, but Knitter was able to grab the ball on the short-hop, keeping the match scoreless at the intermission.
Early in the second half, it was Cameron Hepple's turn to make several impressive moves. Hepple eluded several would-be defenders and fired a shot, but Knitter was again in position to make the save.
IPFW had several chances early in the second half, but a BG defender got a foot on Josh Sommer's crossing ball, deflecting it past several Mastodon forwards, and Shoemaker's leaping grab broke up another crossing attempt several minutes later.
The 'Dons had possibly their best chance of the match with about 25 minutes left in the second half, as Ben Haifley and Colin Helmrich swooped into the penalty box on a two-on-one. The one defender, however, was Kyle McNayr, who blocked Helmrich's shot from approximately 15 yards out, keeping the match scoreless.
Four minutes later, Haifley's centering ball found the head of Chris Dolinski, but his redirection sent the ball wide of goal. Less than a minute later, Hepple played a ball for Ahmad Smith, but his shot was smothered by Knitter. Finally, however, the Falcons would break through on Lawrence's goal.
McLean's goal with just under four minutes left provided the home team with some breathing room, and the Falcon defense preserved their first shutout of the young season.
"I am pleased with our performance today," said Falcon head coach Fred Thompson. "Their 'keeper is exceptional. He really did it to us last year, when we had 27 shots but no goals (BGSU outshot IPFW, 27-11, in last year's meeting, but Knitter made 11 saves in a scoreless tie).
"It was fun and interesting to have both of our center backs score. Jacob Lawrence continued his strong play, with a goal at one end of the field, and some saving tackles at the other.
"We got some strong performances from a number of different players today, and we will now look to heal some bumps and bruises tomorrow and get ready for Sunday."
The Falcons' Sunday match,vs. Saint Francis (Pa.) University, will kick off at 1:00 p.m. and will close the BGSU Invitational. SFU will meet IPFW at Cochrane Field on Saturday (Sept. 20), with that neutral-site contest beginning at 2:00 p.m.
FALCON NOTES
* The Falcons have won three consecutive games ... BGSU also had a three-game winning streak to close the 2007 regular season (wins over Detroit, Western Michigan and Northern Illinois from Oct. 24 to Nov. 2) ... the Falcons have not won as many as four-straight games since 1997 ... that club won 11-consecutive matches, a streak that took the Brown and Orange all the way to the second round of the NCAA Championships.
* Friday marked the fourth consecutive year that the Falcons have won the home opener ... BGSU downed Ohio State (3-2 in double overtime) in 2005, Western Illinois (2-1 in OT) in '06 and Central Arkansas (1-0 in double OT) last September.
* The Falcons are unbeaten in the last six regular-season matches at Cochrane Field, dating to last season ... BGSU's last home regular-season loss came a year ago Saturday -- Sept. 20, 2007 -- to OSU ... the Falcons did drop a MAC Tournament first-round game to NIU last Nov. 13.
* Junior Jacob Lawrence, who entered last weekend with a career total of two goals, now has three goals in the last two games ... Lawrence scored both BG goals in last Saturday's (Sept. 13) win at Central Arkansas, and opened the scoring on Friday vs. IPFW.
* Lawrence has scored the game-winning goal in each of the Falcons' last two contests ... those are the first two GWGs of his career.
* Sophomore Thomas McLean's goal on Friday was his first of the season and the fourth of his career.
* Junior Cameron Hepple had the primary assist on McLean's goal ... Hepple, BGSU's active career scoring leader, now has six assists ... he also has six goals, for a total of 18 points, in 33 games as a Falcon.
* Junior Gavin Dozier's assist on that goal was the first of his collegiate career.
* Senior Paul Shoemaker picked up his first shutout of the season and the fifth of his career.
* Friday marked the first time in six games this season that BGSU scored the first goal.
* BGSU now leads IPFW, 4-3-1, in the all-time series between the teams, and the Falcons are 2-2-1 in home matches vs. the Mastodons.
FALCON FUTBOL NOTES (also titled, "BG's Success Transcends Gender")
* The last loss for a Falcon soccer team came on Sept. 7, when the men fell to the College of Charleston ... later that same day, the BGSU women's team tied at Ohio State ... since that time, the Falcon futbollers are a combined 6-0-0, with each squad winning three games.
* In September matches at Cochrane Field, BGSU teams are 4-0-0 and have outscored the opposition, 16-0.
