#8/9 Michigan tops Falcons, 3-0, Friday Night

Friday, November 12

Ann Arbor, MI

6:00 PM

Bowling Green State University

11-7-3, 8-2-1

#8/9 Michigan (First Round)

16-2-3, 6-2-2

Bowling Green

Michigan

Photo by: Mallory Hiser, BGSU Athletics

November 12, 2021 | Women's Soccer

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BGSU advances to NCAA Championships for the fourth-straight season

By: by Mike Cihon, BGSU Strategic Communications

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The Bowling Green State University women's soccer team saw the 2021 season come to an end on Friday evening (Nov. 12), as the Falcons fell, 3-0, to the University of Michigan. The match, a first-round contest in the NCAA Championships, was held at U-M Soccer Stadium.

With the win, the Wolverines (16-3-3) advance to the second round, and will host the winner of the Wake Forest-Harvard match. Michigan is ranked eighth in the College Soccer News poll, ninth by United Soccer Coaches and 14th in the Top Drawer Soccer listings this week.

The Falcons see the season come to an end with a record of 11-7-3.

Meredith Haakenson had a goal an an assist for the Wolverines. She scored the first goal of the match with just under 18 minutes gone to give U-M a 1-0 lead at the half.

Nicki Hernandez doubled the home team's lead in the 59th minute, while Kacey Lawrence capped the scoring with just under 14 minutes to go.

Lili Berg made three saves in goal for the Falcons.

NOTE OF THE NIGHT
• There are 29 players on the 2021 roster. No fewer than 28 of those 29 players have seen the Falcons advance to the NCAA Championships in every season in which they've been a part of the program.

QUOTING COACH JIMMY WALKER
"They (Michigan) are an exceptionally good team, the best team we've played all season. We thought that when we saw them the first time, and they've improved dramatically since then."

"I thought we did really well in spells tonight. Our game plan worked for long periods of time. We were disappointed to give a goal away after a corner, but we were (down) one-nil at halftime, and we were OK. When they got that second goal, however, that's tough to come back from. No questions asked with the effort and the attitude of our players, but sometimes you lose to a better team, and they are a special team."

"As a coach, I couldn't ask for any more from our seniors. They have been absolutely brilliant. The way they welcomed a new coaching staff just under two years ago, the way they've worked for us, the way they've brought the best out of their younger teammates ... they've been so good on the field and off the field. I think we're going to see some of them go on and play after college."

HOW IT HAPPENED
• BGSU goalkeeper Lili Berg made the save on a hard shot by Sarah Stratigakis in the 12th minute.
• U-M had kept the ball in the BG end for much of the first 12-13 minutes of the match, but Nikki Cox took a pass in the penalty area and hit a hard shot of her own. The ball was deflected out of play by a U-M defender for a corner kick, and after that kick pinged around the box for a few moments, the Wolverines were able to clear.
• In the 15th minute, a shot/cross from the right side drifted toward goal, but Berg grabbed the ball near the crossbar with a leaping effort.
• Michigan got on the board in the 18th minute. A shot by Sydney Shepherd was blocked, but the ball went toward Meredith Haakenson on the right side of the box. Haakenson settled the ball, made a nifty turn to shield the ball from a pair of BGSU defenders, and fired a shot into the far side of the net.
• In the 33rd minute, Lacee Bethea stole the ball from a U-M player near midfield and quickly found Nikki Cox with a pass. Cox played a ball ahead to Bethea, who was racing down the right side, but Bethea's low cross was gathered in by U-M 'keeper Hillary Beall.
• With seven minutes before the half, a blast by Shepherd went just wide of the right post.
• The Wolverines doubled the lead in the 59th minute. A U-M player played the ball into the box that was intercepted by a BG defender. But, a fortuitous bounce sent the ball to Nicki Hernandez just inside the box. Hernandez took a touch and fired the ball into the far side of the net.
• Approximately three minutes later, some nice work by Ruby Linton on the right side of the pitch enabled the BG senior to create enough space for a low cross. A backheel by Nikki Cox kept that ball moving toward the center of the box, but the Falcons were called for a foul just in front of goal.
• U-M scored in the 77th minute, as Haakenson put Skylar Anderson down the right side. Anderson's cross found the onrushing Kacey Lawrence in the center of the box, and Lawrence's one-time finish gave the hosts a 3-0 lead.
• Just over a minute later, Madi Wolfbauer picked out Bethea on the left side of the field. Bethea cut the ball back and fired a nifty diagonal ball toward Jaden Frigerio on the far side of the box, but Frigerio was unable to get a boot on it.
• After a lengthy stretch of possession by the hosts, Lily Farkas fired a laser from the top of the 18, but the shot went just over the bar.
• With three minutes to go, pressure by Bethea near the end line resulted in a steal by Lynsey Spotts. Spotts hit a shot that was blocked, and a Mackenzie Reuber follow-up try went wide.
• With just over a minute remaining, Maya Dean put a ball toward goal that was blocked, and Linton's shot was off the mark.

Yet another tremendous season has come to an end for @bgsuwsoc. Nearly every player on the roster has advanced to the NCAA Championships in every season they've been at BGSU‼️

Thanks for another great run.

No. 8/9 Michigan 3, BGSU 0#AyZiggy | ⚽🧡⚽🧡⚽
— BGSU Athletics (@BGathletics) November 13, 2021

STATS, NOTES & NUMBERS
• The Wolverines had advantages of 19-5 in shots and 6-0 in shots on goal. Lili Berg made three saves for the Falcons.
• Michigan's first goal snapped BGSU's shutout streak at 413:38, and Berg's personal shutout streak at 398:13. Both streaks (individual and team) are the fifth-longest in school history.
• BGSU now has an overall record of 58-26-11 since the start of the 2017 season. The Falcons are 39-9-2 in MAC regular-season matches and 48-10-4 in all games vs. conference foes in that time.
• And, since the beginning of the 2018 campaign, the Falcons are now 45-19-10 overall, 33-5-1 in MAC regular-season action and 40-5-3 in all games vs. league opposition.

UP NEXT
• The Falcons, as mentioned, see the season come to an end. Michigan will host either Wake Forest or Harvard in NCAA Championships second-round action next Friday (Nov. 19).

Gallery: (11-12-2021) W.Soccer at Michigan - Nov 12 2021

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