Zips Snap Falcons' Three-Match Win Streak, 2-1

Saturday, October 12

Akron, OH

7:00 PM

Bowling Green State University

7-4-1, 0-1-0MAC

Akron

2-8-1, 1-0-0MAC

Bowling Green

Akron

Chris Sullivan v Canisius - Sept 28 2019

Photo by: Isaiah Vazquez/BGSU Athletics

October 12, 2019 | Men's Soccer

Box Score Final Stats

Sullivan's second-half goal not enough to overcome UA in MAC opener

By: AKRON, Ohio (BGSU Athletic Communications)

The University of Akron snapped the Bowling Green State University men's soccer team's three-match winning streak, downing the Falcons by a 2-1 final on Saturday night (Oct. 12). The match, the Mid-American Conference opener, was held at FirstEnergy Stadium in the Rubber City.

Diogo Pacheco gave the hosts the lead in the 34th minute of the match, and Will Jackson doubled the Zips' advantage with nearly an hour gone.

Junior Chris Sullivan scored his team-leading fifth goal of the season for the Falcons in the 70th minute, stealing an errant pass from UA goalkeeper Joe Bowles in the box. Sullivan rounded the 'keeper in the box and fired a shot between two diving defenders and into the net.

But, the Falcons were unable to find the equalizer, dropping to 7-4-1 overall on the year. Senior Anthony Mwembia made eight saves on the night, including several spectacular second-half stops. Bowles was credited with two saves for the hosts.

NOTE OF THE NIGHT
• Chris Sullivan's goal, as mentioned, was his team-leading fifth of the season, and he also leads the Falcons with five assists and 15 points.
• The junior increased his point-scoring streak to four matches, and he has seven points in that time.
• Sullivan now has 27 career points on nine goals and nine assists. Through 12 matches this season, he has topped his goal, assist and point totals for his first two years combined.

FIRST-HALF HIGHLIGHTS
• 3' | The Zips Christian Lue Young played a low right-side cross through the box, but a shot by Will Jackson went well over the crossbar.
• 6' | After an Akron foul, junior Chris Sullivan played a ball into the penalty area, but back-to-back shots by the Falcons were blocked, and after the second shot, the ball trickled to UA 'keeper Joe Bowles.
• 12' | The Zips got a shot on the counterattack, but Jackson's effort rolled several feet wide of the far post.
• 14' | Junior Achille Robin blocked a low UA cross at the right post, then knocked the ball out of the penalty area.
• 27' | Off of a BGSU free kick, junior Vinny Worner flicked the ball toward senior Tom Wrobel in the box, but it was knocked away for a BG corner. The Zips were able to clear the ball out of danger after that Sullivan corner.
• 29' | Sophomore Kale Nichols stole a UA pass after some BG pressure in the offensive and, and played the ball to fellow soph Ike Swiger. But, the Zips were able to clear Swiger's return pass away.
• 32' | GOAL | Diogo Pacheco gave the Zips the lead on a shot from the left side of the box. Pol Hernandez and Jackson were awarded assists on the play.
• 39' | A free kick by junior Zach Buescher was headed out of the box. Sophomore Jensen Lukacsko knocked it back toward the area, and Worner blooped it back into the box, but the UA netminder was able to grab it just ahead of several Falcons.

SECOND-HALF HIGHLIGHTS
• 48' | A UA free kick bounced around the penalty area, and Marco Milanese hit a turnaround shot, but the ball fluttered harmlessly over the crossbar.
• 55' | After senior goalkeeper Anthony Mwembia grabbed a ball in the box, Sullivan and the Falcons began a counterattack. Sullivan took a return pass from sophomore Matt Walters and found Lukacsko with a pass, but Lukascko's diagonal ball was knocked away.
• 57' | The Falcons won a corner, and on that Sullivan kick, Wrobel rose above all of the other players in the box to get his head on the ball. But, the shot went wide of the right post.
• 58' | After a nifty Swiger-Sullivan combination play, Swiger looked to put Worner into the box, but an offside call gave the Zips a free kick.
• 59' | GOAL | Jackson made a run and hit a hard shot from several yards outside the box, curving his shot into the left side of the net. The unassisted goal gave the hosts a two-goal lead.
• 60' | Mwembia made a nifty point-blank save on Colin Biros, after Biros settled a left-side cross and fired a shot from about eight yards out on the right side.
• 65' | Mwembia made a diving save against Jackson after the UA striker got free on the left side and hit a shot from about 12 yards out.
• 67' | The BG senior 'keeper made a nice leaping save to tip a shot by Mani Austmann over the bar, and off of the ensuing corner, the combination of Worner and freshman Michael Montemurri blocked a shot from the far side.
• 70' | GOAL | Sullivan took advantage of a giveaway by Bowles in the box, stealing the ball, rounding the 'keeper and hitting a shot between two defenders and into the net.
• 72' | Mwembia punched away a Lue Young shot from the right side of the box.
• 74' | Freshman Nathan Masters blocked a shot/cross by Hernandez, but Hernandez got the ball back, cut to his right and hit a hard shot. But, Mwembia made a great leaping save.
• 78' | Mwembia made yet another impressive save, diving to stop a shot by Austmann, and seconds later he blocked a Lue Young shot from the other side of the box.
• 87' | Bowles was credited with his first save of the night after Robin got his head on a Sullivan free kick in the box
• 88' | A free kick was awarded to the Falcons after an Amandy Ayima ball was blocked by a UA player's hand, and the clock was stopped with 2:21 to go as the Zips did not give BG the required 10 yards to take said free kick. Sullivan put his kick into the left side of the box, and a Falcon headed the ball back across toward freshman Abdi Faqi in the center of the area. But, Faqi's header was grabbed by Bowles.

WHAT'S NEXT?
• The Falcons conclude a four-match road swing next weekend, making a trip to the MAC's "West Coast" to face SIUE on Saturday evening, Oct. 19.
• BGSU's next home game is Tuesday, Oct. 22, when Purdue Fort Wayne comes to Cochrane Stadium.

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