Falcons Rally Back to Down Dayton in Season Opener

Friday, February 19

Mason, Ohio

2:30 PM

Bowling Green State University

1-0-0, 0-0-0

Dayton

0-1-0, 0-0-0

Bowling Green

Dayton

Jacob Erlandson scored the winner in the 83rd minute to complete BGSU's comeback (photo courtesy UD Athletics)

February 19, 2021 | Men's Soccer

Box Score BGSU-UD Stats Web Stats

Sullivan has four-point game, Dayton native Erlandson nets 83rd-minute winner

By: by Mike Cihon, BGSU Athletics

MASON, Ohio – The Bowling Green State University men's soccer team opened the season in style, rallying from a halftime deficit for a 3-2 victory over the University of Dayton Friday afternoon (Feb. 19). The match, the regular-season opener for both teams, was held at the Wall 2 Wall Soccer complex.

Chris Sullivan was involved in the scoring of all three Falcon goals, scoring the tying goal with just over an hour gone and assisting on the other two.

A pair of first-year Falcons also found the back of the net. Freshman Kyle Cusimano scored BGSU's first goal of the season, and senior Jacob Erlandson scored what would prove to be the winner in the 83rd minute. Erlandson, a native of Dayton, scored a total of 21 goals (including 11 GWG) during three years at Huntington (Ind.) University.

Freshman Brendan Graves made three saves to pick up the win in goal in his collegiate debut.

NOTE OF THE DAY
• The Falcons were playing a match that counted for the first time in 460 days, and were participating in a regular-season match for the first time in 468 days.
• BGSU's last regular-season game was on Nov. 9, 2019, against Northern Illinois, and the Orange and Brown then advanced through the MAC Tournament and faced West Virginia in the league tourney final on Nov. 17, 2019.

GOALS / KEY MOMENTS
• Kingsford Adjei got the Flyers on the board at the 11:27 mark. He received a pass at the back post and converted with a two-touch finish. Adjei's goal was the first shot attempt of the match by either team.
• It took BGSU less than a minute to equalize, as true freshman Kyle Cusimano scored his first collegiate goal in his first collegiate match. After a Falcon free kick was played toward the box, Cusimano knocked it down and beat UD goalkeeper Marc Kouadio. Chris Sullivan and Jacob Erlandson drew assists on the goal.
• But, UD's Jake Feiner gave his team the lead once again with just under 31 minutes elapsed. Toluwalase Oladeinbo, who assisted on both Flyer goals, stole a BG backpass and quickly found Feiner in transition, and Feiner put the hosts on top by a 2-1 score.
• The Flyers took that lead into the half, and it held up for nearly a half hour. But Sullivan tied the score at the 60:21 mark. Senior Vinny Worner's pass found Sullivan at the top of the box, and Sullivan's wicked volley found the lower-left-hand corner of the net to tie the game once again. Worner and fellow senior Zach Buescher drew the assists on the play.
• The Falcons won a throw-in in the UD half, and off of that throw, Sullivan hit a volley that was blocked by a Flyer defender. The ball fell to Jacob Erlandson, who made no mistake, finding the top right corner of the net for what would prove to be the winner. Sullivan drew the lone assist on the goal, which came with 7:48 left in the second half.

STATS, NOTES & NUMBERS
• The Flyers had a 14-9 advantage in total shots, but each team put five shots on goal. Graves made three saves for the Falcons and Kouadio two for the home side.
• UD had six corner kicks – three in each half – while holding the Falcons without a corner.
• Sullivan led the Falcons with four total shot attempts and two on goal. Jonas Fjeldberg had three shots for Dayton, while Kingsford Adjei had a pair of SOG for the hosts.
• Brendan Graves, Kyle Cusimano and Jacob Erlandson each were in the starting lineup for their respective BGSU debuts. Another newcomer, Joey Akpunonu, came off the bench to see action vs. the Flyers.
• Sullivan now has 39 career points on 12 goals and 15 assists. He leads current Falcons in all three categories.
• Vinny Worner's assist was the fourth of his career. He now has 12 career points.
• Zach Buescher's assist was his sixth as a Falcon, upping his career point total to eight.
• The Falcons now have a record of 19-9-3 over the last 31 matches, dating to late in the 2018 season.

UP NEXT
• The Dayton game was the first of five-straight matches away from home for BGSU. Next up for the Falcons is a trip to Buffalo, N.Y., for a neutral-site matchup with Syracuse on Tuesday afternoon (Feb. 23). That contest will begin at 12:30 p.m.
• Then, BGSU will face Marshall (Feb. 27) and Kentucky (March 2) before beginning Mid-American Conference play at Akron on Sunday, March 7.
• The Falcons' home opener is scheduled for the following Sunday, March 14, vs. SIUE.

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.