Vikes Strike Twice to Down Falcons

Tuesday, September 18

Cleveland, OH

7:00 PM

Bowling Green State University

1-4-2

Cleveland State

1-4-1

Bowling Green

Cleveland State

Photo by: Larry Clapper

September 18, 2018 | Men's Soccer

Box Score Final Statistics (PDF)

Pewu's goals less than two minutes apart give CSU 2-0 victory

By: CLEVELAND, Ohio (BGSU Athletic Communications)

Gabe Pewu scored a pair of goals two minutes apart midway through the second half, lifting host Cleveland State University to a 2-0 win over the Bowling Green State University men's soccer team Tuesday night (Sept. 18). The non-conference match was held at Krenzler Field in downtown Cleveland.

Pewu broke the scoreless tie at the 70:51 mark, heading home a Noah Pio cross. Then, 118 seconds later, That same duo teamed up again, as Pio's free kick sailed into the box, and Pewu again saw his header find the back of the net.

The Vikings' Nicklas Rulle picked up the win in goal, making one save on the evening.

Falcon junior Anthony Mwembia made five saves, including several spectacular stops, on the night.

The loss was the Falcons' first road setback against Cleveland State in nearly two decades. BGSU had been 6-0-1 in away matches vs. the Vikings since a 2-1 CSU win on November 4, 1990.

FIRST-HALF HIGHLIGHTS
• 7' | After a BGSU foul approximately 30 yards from goal in the center of the field, Noah Pio's free kick was headed out of the box by senior Moe Mustafa and ultimately cleared away by classmate Tate Robertson.
• 21' | Robertson and junior Charlie Maciejewski worked a combination play on the right side, but Robertson's cross sailed through the box untouched.
• 23' | A through ball nearly put Pio in behind the BG defense, but as he shot, Mustafa blocked the ball out for a corner, and Peter Pugliese headed that corner out of the BG 18-yard box.
• 25' | POST | After a miscommunication in the back for CSU, junior Chris Brennan stole a ball that was passed back to Viking goalkeeper Nicklas Rulle. Brennan got past Rulle, but his shot hit the near goalpost.
• 29' | There were some dangerous moments for the Falcons as Gabe Pewu and Lawrence Karpeh looked to get a shot off in the left side of the box, but ultimately, the ball was cleared away without a shot being taken.
• 34' | Pio grabbed a loose ball and hits a quick shot from distance, but the ball was hit directly at junior goalkeeper Anthony Mwembia.
• 35' | A Robertson free kick bounced around in the box before coming out. Maciejewski played it back into the area, and Mustafa got a head on it and sent it toward Brennan. Brennan's turnaround shot from the top of the box was off the mark.
• 37' | Pio shot high on what looked like a good chance for the home side.
• 39' | On a Viking counterattack, Vlad Jandric's shot was alertly blocked by Pugliese.
• 42' | Junior Chris Sullivan put a low ball through the defense to Robertson, who quickly settled, turned and fired it into the net, but the play was nullified due to an offside call.
• 43' | Robertson played a free kick into the box from the right side, and Mustafa rose to meet the ball, but his header was blocked.
• 45' | Mwembia easily came up with a hopeful cross/shot from distance as the final seconds ticked away in the first half.

SECOND-HALF HIGHLIGHTS
• 52' | The Vikings threatened as Zack Kluever's hard shot from the left side was deflected, but spun into the box. But, Karpeh's header went over the crossbar.
• 55' | Mwembia made a diving save on a shot by Kleuver that was curving toward the far post. Kleuver had received a long crossing ball before cutting across the top of the box and firing, but Mwembia saw the ball all the way.
• 60' | Sullivan took a Brennan pass and hit a shot from outside the box, but Rulle made the save.
• 63' | Off of a CSU corner kick, the ball was headed back across the box to Pewu, but his header went just wide.
• 65' | Robertson and Brennan worked a combination play after Brennan chested down junior Tom Wrobel's long ball ahead. Brennan slid a pass to sophomore Zach Buescher, but Buescher's shot was high.
• 67' | In a "How'd that stay out?' moment, Mwembia and the Falcons somehow kept the match scoreless, at least for the time being. A Karpeh shot was blocked, but Pewu was lurking at the far post. Mwembia, however, met the CSU striker at the goal line and made the save.
• 70' | The Vikes had another great chance after a free kick. Jandric headed the ball down, but Mwembia made another impressive save.
• 71' | GOAL | After a quick CSU throw-in, Pio played a curving diagonal ball from the left side. Pewu beat Mwembia to the ball, nodding it into the net to give the hosts the lead at the 70:51 mark.
• 73' | GOAL | Pewu scored again on a very similar play. This time, Pio served the ball into the box on a free kick after a BG foul. Pewu headed the ball to the far post to give the hosts a two-goal lead with 72:49 gone.
• 76' | After the ball was cleared out of the CSU penalty area, Pugliese served it back in. It wound up in the vicinity of Vinny Worner, but the sophomore's shot went over the bar.
• 78' | Mwembia made a nice save on a hard shot from the left side with CSU on the counterattack.
• 82' | Robertson worked to find space. He freed himself up for a shot, which was blocked at the top of the box. The ball bounded to Buescher, but his follow try went high.
• 84' | Buescher made several nice moves to somehow elude three or four defenders near midfield. He was eventually pulled down from behind. After a yellow card was issued to the Vikings' Ivan Babic, however, the Falcons were ruled offside on the ensuing free kick.
• 89' | A Brennan shot was blocked at top of box, and after BG won the ball right back, freshman Matt Walters found Brennan with a low cross, but the shot was off target.

STATISTICS
• Cleveland State had advantages of 20-12 in total shot attempts and 7-1 in shots on goal. The Vikings had four more shots than the Falcons in each half.
• CSU's Nicklas Rulle made one save en route to the shutout. BGSU junior Anthony Mwembia had five stops in the match.
• The Vikings had six corner kicks to the Falcons' zero.
• CSU's Noah Pio (six) and Gabe Pewu (five) combined for 11 shot attempts on the night. Pewu put three shots on goal and Pio two.
• Junior Chris Brennan led the Falcons with five shot attempts.

WHAT'S NEXT?
• BGSU heads to Fort Wayne, Ind., to face Purdue Fort Wayne on Saturday evening (Sept. 22). First touch is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. at the Hefner Soccer Complex.
• Then, the Falcons will return home to face Valparaiso the following Saturday (Sept. 29). That match is also scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m., and as always, admission is free to all BGSU regular-season home soccer action.

FOLLOW THE FALCONS
For more information on the men's soccer program, follow the Falcons on Twitter (@BGAthletics and @BGSUmenssoccer), Instagram (bgsumenssoccer) and Facebook (BGMensSoccer) as well as on the web right here at BGSUFalcons.com.