MAC Champs! Falcons Down Toledo to Capture Second-Straight Regular-Season Crown

Thursday, October 31

Toledo, OH

3:00 PM

Bowling Green State University

12-5-2, 10-1-0

Toledo

7-12-0, 4-7-0

Bowling Green

Toledo

Photo by: Stephen Linsky, BGSU Athletics

MAC Champs! Falcons Down Toledo to Capture Second-Straight Regular-Season Crown

October 31, 2019 | Women's Soccer

Box Score Final Stats MAC Tournament Bracket BGSU-UT Highlights Matt Fannon Interview Chelsee Washington Interview BGSU-UT Photo Gallery (Stephen Linsky)Photo Gallery

Top-seeded BGSU will host CMU Sunday in league tourney quarterfinals

By: TOLEDO, Ohio (BGSU Athletic Communications)

For the second-straight season, the Bowling Green State University women's soccer team has won the Mid-American Conference regular-season title. The Falcons clinched the outright crown with a 3-1 win at the University of Toledo on Thursday afternoon.

Senior Chelsee Washington, redshirt junior Nikki Cox and freshman Kennedy White scored second-half goals as the Falcons (12-5-2, 10-1-0 MAC) became the first team in MAC history to win 10 league matches in back-to-back seasons.

BGSU, the top seed for the MAC Tournament, will host Central Michigan University in league tourney quarterfinal-round action on Sunday (Nov. 3), with first touch set for 1:00 p.m. at Cochrane Stadium. Admission is free.

On Thursday, the Falcons outshot the Rockets, 11-2, in the opening half, and BG had an 8-1 advantage in shots on goal, but the match was scoreless at the break.

In the second half, it didn't take Washington long to get the Falcons on the board. The senior settled a ball near the top of the 18-yard box and blasted a shot into the net just 44 seconds into the period.

Eight minutes later, however, the Rockets equalized. BG was called for a foul in the penalty area, and the Rockets' Abby Demboski converted the ensuing penalty kick to tie the score.

BG continued to apply pressure on UT goalkeeper Adrianna Brewer and the Rocket defense, and the Falcons finally broke through in the 77th minute. Nikki Cox scored on a loose ball in the box to give the visitors the lead for good.

White gave the Falcons some insurance, heading home a free kick by freshman Lena Kovar for a two-goal advantage.

For the match, the Falcons had advantages of 18-7 in total shot attempts, 10-1 in shots on goal and 6-2 in corner kicks.

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NOTE OF THE DAY: MAC CHAMPS!
• BGSU has captured the MAC regular-season title for the third time in the history of the program. The Falcons won the league regular-season crown in 2005, with a 9-2-0 conference record.
• BG's second league regular-season crown came last fall, as the 2018 Falcons went 10-1-0 to set school records for conference wins and winning percentage. In 2019, BGSU again went 10-1-0 in MAC play to equal those school records.
• As mentioned earlier, BGSU has become the first program in MAC history to win 10 conference games in back-to-back seasons.

BONUS NOTE OF THE DAY: BG (ROAD) WARRIORS
• With Thursday's win at Toledo, BGSU finished with a perfect 6-0-0 record in MAC road matches this season. The Falcons outscored the opponents, 19-4, in those six games.
• The Falcons are now 10-1-0 in conference road contests since the start of the 2018 season, and BG has outscored the opponents, 32-6, in those 10 games.
• The Falcons have scored a total of 24 goals in the last seven MAC road games, dating to the final road match of last season.

FIRST-HALF HIGHLIGHTS
• 3' | Sophomore Mackenzie Reuber took a pass from freshman Katie Cox and hit a right-side cross. Redshirt junior Nikki Cox redirected it on the near side of the six-yard box, but her shot was wide of the near post.
• 5' | Freshman Makenzie Ortman won a corner, and that Maureen Kennedy corner kick found sophomore Sarah Allen. Allen got a boot on the ball, but UT goalkeeper Adrianna Brewer was able to grab the ball out of the air.
• 8' | Katie Cox was fouled about 35 yards away from goal. Kennedy took the ensuing free kick, and the senior put a shot on frame, but Brewer made the save.
• 9' | Reuber won another BG corner. That corner was headed back across the six-yard box by senior Chelsee Washington, and Nikki Cox redirected it on frame with another header, but Brewer grabbed that effort as well.
• 11' | Washington hit a blast from outside the box, but the UT 'keeper parried it and tracked down the rebound on the right side of the box.
• 13' | After BG possessed the ball for much of the first 12-plus minutes, the Rockets made a foray into the Falcons' end. UT won a corner kick, but the Falcons were able to deal with it successfully.
• 17' | A deflected ball fell to Toledo's Sophia Lewis in the box, but Ortman blocked her shot out for a corner, and BG knocked that corner out of the danger zone.
• 20' | After a UT foul near midfield on the right side, freshman Lena Kovar played a long diagonal ball into the box. Nikki Cox got a foot on the ball, redirecting it just wide of the far post.
• 20' | BG won the ball right back, and Allen worked a combination play with Ortman on the left side of the box, but Allen's shot sailed high.
• 25' | Reuber's low right-side cross was deflected by a UT defender. Allen pounced on the ball near the end line, but her shot was blocked out of play.
• 31' | Freshman Jasmijn Dijsselhof won a corner kick on the left side, getting to Ortman's diagonal ball and knocking it off of a Rocket. But, off of that corner, Reuber's turnaround shot was off the mark.
• 34' | Washington hit a hard shot from near the 18-yard line after a teammate laid the ball off to her. Brewer parried the blast, but was able to prevent a rebound, catching the ball before it before it bounced and/or got behind her.
• 42' | Dijsselhof's left-side cross was knocked down in the box. Sophomore Lynsey Spotts slid it into the path of Hannah Dolfuss, but the senior's shot sailed high.
• 43' | Sophomore Ruby Linton hit a hard shot from just outside the box, forcing Brewer into a diving save.
• 45' | A foul was called on the Falcons about 25 yards out, but the free kick by Ariana Garcia sailed well over the crossbar.

Gallery: (10/31/2019) W.Soccer at Toledo - Oct 31 2019

SECOND-HALF HIGHLIGHTS
• 46' | GOAL | Reuber played a cross into the box from the right side. Nikki Cox battled a Rocket player for possession, and that defender was able to get a boot on it. The ball was knocked toward the top of the box, where Washington settled it, then hit a blast that found the upper-right-hand corner of the net with just 44 seconds gone in the half.
• 52' | UT applied pressure, but could not get a clean shot away. An effort near the top of the box was blocked by a BG defender.
• 53' | Washington played the ball to freshman Kennedy White. White's cross was deflected by a UT player on goal, but went directly to the 'keeper.
• 54' | GOAL | Abby Demboski converted a penalty kick after a foul was called on BG in the box, tying the score with 36:01 to go in the half.
• 55' | BGSU threatened immediately after the goal. Reuber crossed the ball to White, but her one-time redirect went wide.
• 57' | Dijsselhof played a gorgeous diagonal ball to White on the far side of the box, but her shot went just wide.
• 59' | Reuber's cross resulted in an Ortman shot, but the 'keeper made a point-blank save.
• 59' | Washington slid a pass out left to Dijsselhof, and the freshman's cross/shot sailed just wide of the far post.
• 62' | A foul was called on the Falcons about 27 yards out, in the center of the field, but the ensuing UT free kick was blocked by the BG wall.
• 65' | After a BG foul near midfield, a long free kick was knocked down, but into the path of UT's Anita Mancini. Mancini's shot from outside the box, however, went over the goal.
• 69' | Washington got her head on a Kovar free kick, but that shot was off the mark.
• 77' | GOAL | BG took the lead after a scrum off of a Kovar corner. White headed the ball into the six-yard box, where Washington got her head on it as well. Nikki Cox, in traffic right in front of the goal, gave the Falcons the lead for good.
• 84' | GOAL | After a foul on the Rockets, Kovar hit a free kick into the box from the right side. White flicked it over Brewer and under the crossbar to give the Falcons a two-goal lead.
• 85' | A free kick by junior Sophia Barnes got past a lunging UT player, sending Nikki Cox down the right side. She cut the ball back and hit a cross through the goalmouth, just out of the reach of White.

STATISTICS
• The Falcons had advantages of 18-7 in total shot attempts, 10-1 in shots on goal and 6-2 in corner kicks. BG outshot the Rockets by an 11-2 count in the first half, with five of the Falcons' six corners coming in the opening 45 minutes.
• Both Washington and Nikki Cox had four total shots, including three on goal.
• Adrianna Brewer made seven saves for the Rockets, including six in the first half. Three of BGSU's four second-half shots on goal found the back of the net.
• BGSU senior goalkeeper Kathleen Duwve was not credited with a save in Thursday's match. The Rockets' only shot on goal was the second-half penalty kick by Abby Demboski.
• Duwve, Washington, junior Nikhita Jacob and freshman Audrey Shea played all 90 minutes of the match for the Falcons.

FALCON TEAM NOTES
• BGSU now has an overall record of 39-17-6 since Matt Fannon was named head coach prior to the 2017 season. BGSU has a record of 26-6-1 in MAC regular-season matches in that time.
• In the last 25 matches (both regular-season and tournament) vs. MAC foes, the Falcons have lost just twice. BGSU is 22-2-1 against the MAC since the start of the 2018 season.
• The Falcons are now 35-1-1 when scoring at least two goals in a match in the Fannon Era.
• Thursday's win was BGSU's first road victory over Toledo in 12 years (minus one day). BG is now 7-7-0 in road matches against the Rockets, and the Falcons are 1-0-0 at Paul Hotmer Field. But, the Falcons had lost six consecutive road matches vs. UT prior to Thursday.
• As mentioned earlier, BGSU has gone 10-1-0 in MAC road games since the start of the 2018 season. BG has outscored the opponents, 32-6, in those 11 games.
• The Falcons have scored at least two goals in eight of those 11 matches, and BG has put at least three goals on the board in seven of those 11 contests.
• BGSU is now 12-4-1 in true road matches vs. MAC foes under Fannon. In the nine years prior to his arrival (2008-16), the Falcons won a total of six MAC matchups away from home.

FALCON PLAYER NOTES
• Senior Chelsee Washington opened the scoring on Thursday. Washington now has career totals of 19 goals and 59 points. She is now tied for eighth in school history in career goals, and has moved into sole possession of seventh in points.
• Redshirt junior Nikki Cox scored her eighth goal of the season, and her second game-winning goal of the year. She now has 39 career points in 41 matches as a Falcon.
• With 16 career goals at BG, Cox is now tied for 11th in school history in that category, in just her second season as a Falcon.
• Freshman Kennedy White scored her team-leading ninth goal of the season in Thursday's win. For the second time this season, White has scored a goal in three consecutive matches.
• On the season, Cox and White each have 20 points, while Washington has 19 and senior Maureen Kennedy 17.
• Freshman Lena Kovar's assist at UT was her second of the season. Her other assist also came on a road win in MAC play, in BG's overtime victory at Eastern Michigan.
• Senior Kathleen Duwve picked up the 30th victory of her BGSU career, moving her past Ali Shingler (29 wins from 2001-05) into sole possession of second place in school history. Duwve now trails only Erika Flanders (34 wins from 1999-2002) in that category. Duwve ranks fifth or higher on all of BGSU's career goalkeeping lists.
• Duwve has a goals-against average of 1.08 this season, and finished with a GAA of just 0.72 in MAC matches.

WHAT'S NEXT?
• The Falcons will be the top seed for the 2019 MAC Tournament, and BGSU will host eighth-seeded Central Michigan University on Sunday (Nov. 3) at Cochrane Stadium. First touch is set for 1:00 p.m., and admission is free.
• BGSU downed CMU, 3-2 in double overtime, in the teams' regular-season meeting at Cochrane. The Falcons tied the match in the final minute of regulation before winning it with a 110th-minute goal.
• The BGSU-CMU winner will join the other three quarterfinal-round survivors for the MAC Tournament's semifinal round on Friday, Nov. 8. The championship match is set for Sunday, Nov. 10.
• The semifinals and championship will be held at the site of the highest-remaining seed. Should BGSU get past Central, the remainder of the tournament would be held at Cochrane Stadium.

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