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Bowling Green State University Athletics
Nichols, Falcons Announce Fall 2017 Schedule
May 12, 2017 | Men's Soccer
Bowling Green State University men's soccer coach Eric Nichols has announced his team's fall schedule for 2017. The Falcons' 17-match regular-season slate includes eight matches inside the friendly confines of Cochrane Stadium.
2017 BGSU MEN'S SOCCER SCHEDULE
The Falcons' schedule includes three matches against schools that qualified for the NCAA Championships last season. Seven of the eight regular-season contests at Cochrane will be held under the lights.
The home slate includes a matchup with Cincinnati as part of the program's Alumni Weekend festivities, along with visits from Mid-American Conference foes West Virginia and Northern Illinois.
The road portion of the schedule includes matches vs. Michigan State, Notre Dame and Ohio State during the non-league slate, and Akron and Western Michigan in MAC play.
"When we recruit players, we let them know that they will be challenged both in the classroom and on the field," said Nichols, who enters his ninth season at the BGSU helm. "And, the guys who join our program are the type of players who look forward to those challenges. Each challenge we face makes us better, and so we try to put together the best schedule we possibly can each year.
"And, again this season, I think we have a very difficult schedule that will prepare us for MAC play. We will face a number of teams who we've developed very good regional rivalries with, and our road schedule includes a number of perennial powers including Michigan State, Notre Dame and Ohio State. Additionally, trips to Philadelphia and Nashville will be great chances to bond and come together as a group, as our guys will spend a lot of time together."
The season begins with a two-match homestand, as the Brown and Orange will welcome IUPUI (Aug. 26) and Cleveland State (Aug. 29) to Cochrane. The Falcons posted shutout wins vs. both the Jaguars and Vikings last season, with a Golden Goal in the final seconds of double overtime in the latter victory.
The month of September begins with a trip to Philadelphia, as BGSU will face Drexel (Sept. 1) and Penn (Sept. 3) on Labor Day weekend. The following weekend will see the Falcons meet Western Illinois at Cochrane (Sept. 9), in the lone home game scheduled for the afternoon. BG and WIU are scheduled to play a 3:00 p.m. contest.
Four days later, the Falcons begin a challenging four-game stretch, to say the least. BG heads to East Lansing, Mich., for the second-straight year, facing Michigan State on Wednesday, Sept. 13. Each of the teams' last five meetings have resulted in a one-goal win for the Spartans.
Then, BGSU will host Cincinnati (Sept. 16) as part of the program's Alumni Weekend, before returning to the road for regional battles with Notre Dame (Sept. 19) and Ohio State (Sept. 22). The Falcons have not faced the Fighting Irish in over two decades. The teams played 10 times between 1979 and 1994, with the Irish holding a narrow 5-4-1 series advantage.
The Falcons will meet the Buckeyes for the seventh consecutive year. BGSU downed OSU, 2-0, before a crowd in excess of 2,500 fans at Cochrane Stadium last fall.Â
BGSU then plays three-straight midweek matchups, hosting Duquesne (Sept. 27) before hitting the road to face Belmont (Oct. 3) and Wright State (Oct. 10). The WSU match is the latest installment of the battle for the I-75 Cup. BGSU won a 2-0 decision vs. the Raiders last season, marking the Falcons' sixth win in seven matches since the teams began playing for the I-75 Cup, a trophy that goes to the winner of the BGSU-WSU match each year.
Then, MAC play begins with West Virginia coming to town on Saturday, Oct. 14. The Falcons got the 2016 conference schedule started on a successful note with a 1-0 road win vs. the Mountaineers, BG's third consecutive win in the series.
The Falcons then head to Northeast Ohio to face Akron (Oct. 21) in a meeting of the first- and second-place teams in last year's conference regular-season standings. The Falcons and Zips battled to a 2-2, double-overtime draw at Cochrane last fall.
BG steps outside of league action for one final time, hosting Fort Wayne on Tuesday, Oct. 24. Then, BGSU will face Northern Illinois four days later (Oct. 28), on Senior Night at Cochrane. And, the Falcons will end the regular season the following Saturday (Nov. 4) at Western Michigan.
The 2017 MAC Tournament will see the top-four teams in the final regular-season standings converge on the site of the regular-season champion for the semifinals on Friday, Nov. 10. The two winners will meet in the championship match at the same site on Sunday, Nov. 12.
Prior to the start of the regular season, the Falcons will play three scrimmages, including two at home. BGSU will face Dayton (Aug. 12) and Oakland (Aug. 14) at Cochrane, before venturing to Valparaiso to face the Crusaders (Aug. 19) in one final tune-up for the regular season.
"We feel we have put together a schedule that gives us an opportunity to be successful," said Nichols. "But, we also know we will need to bring our A-game every time out, as there are no easy games. I look forward to seeing how our team responds to each challenge we will face this fall."
The Falcons had an overall record of 9-6-4 in 2016, and BGSU finished MAC regular-season play with a 2-0-3 league ledger. BG finished second in the conference, the program's best showing since the 2002 season, and the Falcons were undefeated at Cochrane Stadium for the first time since 1996.
The complete 2017 schedule follows. For the latest schedule updates throughout the season, CLICK HEREÂ or click the 'schedule' link on the men's soccer page right here at BGSUFalcons.com.
2017Â BGSU MEN'S SOCCER SCHEDULE
(as of May 12, 2017 - subject to change)
August
Sat., 12Â - DAYTONÂ (Scrimmage)
Mon., 14 -Â OAKLANDÂ (Scrimmage)
Sat., 19 - at Valparaiso (Scrimmage)
Sat., 26 -Â IUPUI
Mon., 29 -Â CLEVELAND STATE
September
Fri., 1 - at Drexel
Sun., 3 - at Penn
Sat., 9 - WESTERN ILLINOIS
Wed., 13 - at Michigan State
Sat., 16 - CINCINNATI (Alumni Weekend)
Tue., 19 - at Notre Dame
Fri., 22 - at Ohio State
Wed., 27 - DUQUESNE
October
Tue., 3 - at Belmont
Tue., 10 - at Wright State (I-75 Cup)
Sat., 14 - WEST VIRGINIA *
Sat., 21 - at Akron *
Tue., 24 - FORT WAYNE
Sat., 28 - NORTHERN ILLINOIS (Senior Night) *
November
Sat., 4 - at Western Michigan *
Fri., 10 - MAC Tournament Semifinals
Sun., 12 - MAC Tournament Final
* Mid-American Conference match
HOMEÂ matches at Cochrane Stadium