Falcons Down No. 22 West Virginia, 1-0, in MAC Opener

Friday, October 7

Morgantown, WV

7:00 PM

Bowling Green State University

#22 West Virginia

Pat Flynn (right) scored to lift BG to a road win over No. 22 WVU (Larry Clapper photo)

Photo by: Larry Clapper

October 07, 2016 | Men's Soccer

Box Score

Flynn strikes early in the second half to lead BGSU to a road win

By: MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (BGSU Athletic Communications)

Senior striker Pat Flynn scored early in the second half, lifting the Bowling Green State University men's soccer team to a road win over No. 22 West Virginia University Friday night (Oct. 7). The match, the Mid-American Conference opener for both programs, was held at a rainy Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium.

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With the victory, the Falcons improve to 8-3-1 overall. WVU is now 6-3-1 on the year.

Redshirt sophomore Bismark Agyeman drew the assist on Flynn's goal, while freshman Anthony Mwembia made three saves to earn the shutout in goal.

The Mountaineers, ranked in all four national polls this week, outshot the Falcons, 12-8, on the night, but BG put six shots on goal to WVU's three. Mwembia, as mentioned, had three saves en route to his sixth shutout in 11 starts, while the Mountaineers' Jose Santos made five stops on the night.

The home team had an 8-3 advantage in corner kicks, and WVU had seven in the second half alone. But, the lone goal belonged to Flynn and the Falcons.

Flynn becomes the eighth different player to score a game-winning goal for the Brown and Orange in 2016.

Flynn now has career totals of 27 goals and 66 points as a Falcon. He is tied with Dave Kindl (1993-96) on both BGSU career lists, as the two are deadlocked for seventh on the goals list and ninth on the points chart. Flynn also moved into sole possession of fourth place on the BGSU list for game-winning goals, with the ninth of his career on Friday night (note: GWG list is since 1987).

The winning play in Morgantown came in the 53rd minute. Agyeman gained control of the ball and made a run into the penalty area. He beat several defenders on the play, took the ball to the end line and played a short, low cross past several Mountaineers to Flynn. Flynn, from close range, redirected the ball through the legs of Santos and into the far side of the net.

It rained in the Morgantown area on Friday afternoon, and it began to rain again as the teams warmed up prior to the match. A steady rain fell for most of the 90 minutes.

Neither team put a shot on target for the first 38 minutes of the match. The Mountaineers had several shot attempts during that time, but efforts by Logan Lucas, Joey Piatczyc and Jad Arslan all sailed high and/or wide.

All three of those shots came within the first 17 minutes, and then the teams went over 21 minutes without a single shot attempt. During that time, however, Santos very nearly made a costly turnover, as his clearing attempt midway through the half was almost stolen by senior Joe Sullivan. The ball was hit just high enough, however, that Sullivan was unable to chest it down, and it caromed high enough into the air that a WVU defender was able to get to the ball and clear it.

The Falcons had a lengthy string of possession in the 27th minute, with sophomore Dominic Grida and senior Jacob Roth involved. Roth's ball found soph Tate Robertson, who worked a combination play with Agyeman. But, Agyeman's crossing ball went over the goal and out of play.

In the 39th minute, however, the Falcons forced Santos into a spectacular save. A long throw-in by freshman Robert Miller III found the head of sophomore Moe Mustafa in the box. Mustafa flicked the ball toward Roth, who was near the six-yard line. Roth's header sailed toward the upper-right-hand corner of the goal, but Santos made a diving effort to tip the ball out of play.

In the 42nd minute, freshman Chris Brennan was cut down from behind as he looked to lead a BG counterattack, and a yellow card was issued to a Mountaineer player. Roth played the ensuing free kick into the box, where it ping-ponged off of several heads and found its way to Sullivan. The senior's shot from the right side of the area, however, was blocked by a defender.

Less than a minute later, Mustafa came up big, blocking a shot by WVU's Mike Desiderio near the six-yard box. The teams went into the half locked in a scoreless draw.

When the second half began, it didn't take BG long to threaten to break that tie. In the opening minute, a long Mustafa throw-in bounced over several players and into the box. Flynn, facing away from goal, headed the ball backward, and it was all Santos could do to tip the ball over the bar.

Off of the ensuing corner kick, the ball bounced toward Mustafa at the far post. He got a foot on the ball, but it was knocked away by a Mountaineer defender.

With five minutes gone in the period, some hard work by Flynn resulted in the senior finding Robertson on the left side of the pitch. Robertson took the ball downfield, but as he looked to cut right and head into the box, a defender was able to poke the ball away at the last minute.

But, just over two minutes later, Agyeman's run led to the Flynn goal, and the Falcons had the lead. The Mountaineers would threaten on multiple occasions over the final 37-plus minutes, though.

Felix Angerer got his head on a cross in the 60th minute, but it was saved by Mwembia. Then, three minutes later, Louis Thomas played a low cross through several players in a crowded penalty area. The ball found Angerer, but he put his shot wide of the target from point-blank range.

Miller made a lengthy run into the other end of the field in the 66th minute, but his shot from distance went over the bar. Less than a minute later, a long ball by Roth bounced over a WVU defender on the wet turf, but as Flynn looked to capitalize, that defender was able to recover and knock the ball away at the last second.

With 21 minutes to go, a nifty through ball by Miller found Sullivan on the left side of the box, but his low, hard shot was stopped as Santos made a kick save.

The home team's Tucker Stephenson hit a shot from distance in the 74th minute, but Mwembia parried the knuckleball and grabbed it after one bounce.

Brennan nearly gave the Falcons a two-goal lead in the 76th minute. Grida was the first player to get to a Santos clearance near midfield, and his header found the Falcon freshman. Brennan poked the ball past his would-be defender, and uncorked a hard shot from the top of the 18, but Santos was able to make the save.

The Mountaineers pressed forward as the game passed the 80th minute. Off of a corner kick, Stephenson's shot was blocked, and Angerer's rebound try was deflected by a defender and rang off of the crossbar.

With just over five minutes to go, Stephenson went around a defender and hit a curving shot through two other Falcons. But, Mwembia saw the ball all the way and made the save.

On a night where the ball was wet and there was constant traffic in the goalmouth, Mwembia broke up a great many crossing attempts and diagonal balls, and gave up very few rebounds. The hosts continued to press as time ticked away, but the Falcon freshman was equal to each task.

BG looked to counter with under three minutes to go. The Falcons took the ball across midfield and Sullivan was fouled. After the ensuing free kick, a Brennan shot from distance forced Santos into another diving save.

In the final minute of play, after a BG foul, a long free kick sailed into the box. But, once again, Mwembia went high into the air to make the save. BG was able to work the ball forward, and a Falcon played it deep into the WVU end as the final seconds ticked away.

BGSU now leads the series with West Virginia, 6-2-2, and the Falcons have won the last three meetings between the programs.

The Falcons now prepare for a home match with Western Michigan University on Saturday, Nov. 15. That contest will begin at 7:00 p.m. at Cochrane Stadium, and admission is free.