Falcons Score Early in 2-0 Win over Buffalo

Saturday, October 9

Bowling Green, Ohio

1:00 PM

Bowling Green State University

Buffalo *

Zach Lemke's goal, less than five minutes in, proved to be the winner (photo courtesy Galloway Photography)

October 09, 2010 | Men's Soccer

BGSU finds the net within first 5 minutes of each half in MAC win

By: BOWLING GREEN, Ohio (BGSU Athletic Communications)

The Bowling Green State University men's soccer team scored early in each half Saturday afternoon (Oct. 9), en route to a 2-0 win over the University at Buffalo. The Mid-American Conference match was held at sunny Cochrane Field.

FINAL STATISTICS - HTML | BOXSCORE - PDF
PHOTO GALLERY (Courtesy of Galloway Photography)
Scroll to the bottom of the page for postgame interviews with Eric Nichols and Zach Lemke, along with highlights of Lemke's goal

With the win, the Falcons are now 4-4-2 on the season, and BGSU improves to 1-2-0 in MAC play. The Bulls drop to 4-6-1 and 1-1-0, respectively.

Sophomore Zach Lemke scored less than five minutes into the match, with his header proving to be the game-winning marker. The Falcons added a goal with less than four minutes gone in the second half.

Junior Miguel Rosales and the BGSU defense made Lemke's goal hold up. Rosales made six saves, including several difficult stops, in earning his fourth shutout of the season.

On a gorgeous day at Cochrane, with a festive Hispanic Heritage Appreciation Day crowd on hand, the Falcons had the first chance of the day. Senior Dusko Topolic played a ball into the box from the left side of the pitch, and the cross/shot was misjudged by UB goalkeeper Nick Fetterman. Fetterman missed the ball entirely, but it bounced past the far post and out of bounds for a UB goal kick.

Approximately 90 seconds later, however, the Falcons were on the board. Junior Max Weston played a ball to freshman Sam Galloway on the left side of the field, and Galloway hit a cross into the penalty box. Lemke, running toward the direction of Galloway's cross, got a head on the ball, deftly redirecting it into the right side of the goal (see video below). Less than five minutes into the match, the home team had the lead.

Nearly 14 minutes into the match, the Bulls got a scoring chance from close range. Off of a corner kick, UB's Nate Woods redirected the ball on frame, but Rosales made a point-blank save.

Late in the first half, Fetterman punched away a Weston cross to thwart what looked to be a dangerous opportunity for the hosts. Just several minutes after that, UB's Mike Unwin fired a laser of a free kick, but Rosales made a diving stop to his right to keep the Falcons in the lead as the teams headed to the half.

After scoring in the first five minutes of the opening half, the Falcons doubled the lead with less than four minutes gone in the second period. The goal, an own goal, came after a free kick by senior Thomas McLean. McLean's kick, taken from near midfield, sailed into the 18-yard box, where Galloway and a Buffalo defender were running stride for stride. The diagonal ball struck the head of the UB player and went into the net with 41:01 remaining in the match.

After being dominated in terms of time of possession in the first half, UB had the ball for a larger portion of the second period. But, the visitors could not get a shot past Rosales.

With 35 minutes left in the half, Unwin powered another free kick toward net, forcing Rosales to make a diving save. Eight minutes later, UB's Maksym Kowal made several moves in the box, freed himself for a split-second and got a shot off. But, again, Rosales was up to the task, making another diving save.

Midway through the period, Weston -- the Falcons' leading scorer -- returned to the match after a brief rest. Less than 45 seconds after coming back into the contest, Weston ripped a shot toward goal, but the screaming volley went inches high of the target.

The Falcons had an offensive flurry with 15 minutes left, but freshman Brandon Silva's shot went just wide and was blocked by a defender. And, a follow try by freshman Zach Schewee sailed high.

Perhaps UB's best chance in the remaining minutes came on a diagonal ball by Kowal that sailed right to left. The onrushing Richard Craven just missed getting a head on the ball inside the six-yard box, and the ball bounced just wide of the left post.

The Bulls' only shot attempt of the final 10 minutes came when Sam Craven sailed the ball over the goal with seven minutes left. Rosales earned his fourth shutout of the year.

UB had a somewhat deceptive 12-7 advantage in shot attempts, putting six shots on goal to four for the Falcons. Fetterman made two saves for the visitors, playing all 90 minutes.

The Falcons now will play six of the final seven regular-season games on the road, including a Wednesday (Oct. 13) match at nationally-ranked Butler. BGSU's lone remaining home game is also against a nationally-ranked opponent, as Michigan State will come to town on Oct. 20.

FALCON NOTES
* The win, as mentioned, gives BGSU an overall record of 4-4-2 ... the Falcons have topped the win total for all of last season ... BG posted a 3-12-3 mark in the 2009 campaign.

* BGSU has a .500 record through 10 games for the first time in 13 years, since the 1997 team started 7-3-0.

* The Falcons have won back-to-back games for the first time in over two years ... the 2008 team won three consecutive games in mid-September, downing Centenary, Central Arkansas and IPFW.

* BGSU has scored multiple goals in back-to-back games for the first time this season ... the Falcons picked up a 2-1 win in overtime at IPFW on Wednesday (Oct. 6).

* Redshirt sophomore Zach Lemke's goal vs. UB was the first of his collegiate career ... he is the fifth different Falcon to score his first-ever goal in 2010, and the second in as many games ... soph Joey D'Agostino scored his first collegiate goal in the win at IPFW.

* Freshman Sam Galloway assisted on Lemke's goal ... for Galloway, the assist was his second of the year, and his second in as many games ... he also had a cross that led to a goal in the IPFW match, with that cross finding junior Max Weston for the winner vs. the Mastodons.

* Weston also had an assist on the Lemke goal, giving him a team-leading total of three assists this fall ... Weston also paces the Falcons in goals, with four ... he has 11 points this season, while six teammates have two points apiece.

* The Falcons now lead Buffalo, 9-6-0, in the all-time series between the teams, and BGSU has won the last two meetings ... the Falcons are now 3-4-0 in home contests vs. UB, and Saturday marked BG's first win over UB at Cochrane Field since the 2000 season

* BGSU's shutout on Saturday was the fourth of the season, topping the total for all of last year ... the Brown and Orange had three shutouts in 2009.

* Junior goalkeeper Miguel Rosales has been in goal for every minute of the Falcons' first 10 games ... he is the first Falcon 'keeper to post more than three clean sheets in a season since David DeGraff had five in 2003.