Sullivan's 70th-Minute Strike Lifts Falcons Past NIU, 1-0

Sunday, March 21

DeKalb, Ill.

1:00 PM

Bowling Green State University

5-3-0, 3-1-0

Northern Illinois

3-4-1, 2-2-0

Bowling Green

Northern Illinois

Photo by: Scott Walstrom, NIU Athletics

March 21, 2021 | Men's Soccer

Box Score BGSU-NIU Stats

Naperville native helps BGSU to third-straight 1-0 win

By: by Mike Cihon, BGSU Athletics

DeKALB, Ill. – Chris Sullivan's goal in the 70th minute lifted the Bowling Green State University men's soccer team to a 1-0 win at Northern Illinois University
Sunday afternoon (March 21), in Mid-American Conference action at the NIU Soccer and Track & Field Complex.

The Falcons (5-3-0, 3-1-0 MAC) have won three consecutive matches, all in MAC play and all by 1-0 scores. BGSU beat SIUE at Cochrane Stadium in overtime last Sunday, before winning a midweek matchup at West Virginia.

The Huskies (3-4-1, 2-2-0 MAC) had a 13-10 advantage in total shots, and both teams had four shots on goal. The only goal of the day, however, came off the boot of Sullivan, a native of nearby Naperville.

The winning play developed when Sullivan took a pass from Zach Buescher, then found Vinny Worner heading into the penalty area on the right side. Worner, with several defenders in the area, maintained possession of the ball, then slid a pass back to Sullivan.

Sullivan hit a one-timer from outside the box that eluded NIU goalkeeper Martin Sanchez for what would prove to be the only goal.

Both Sanchez and BGSU's Logan Kowalczyk made three saves on the afternoon. BG also was credited with a team save as Joey Akpunonu, making his first collegiate start, blocked a Huskie shot near the goal line late in the first half.

NOTE OF THE DAY
• BGSU has scored a total of eight goals this season. With three goals and four assists, Chris Sullivan has been directly involved in the scoring of seven of those eight goals.

GOALS / KEY MOMENTS
• 5' | Jacob Erlandson had the first shot of the day after a right-side cross, but NIU 'keeper Martin Sanchez was there to make the stop.
• 8' | After an NIU giveaway deep in the Huskies' defensive end, there were a few nervous moments for the home side. But, Northern was able to block a Nathan Masters shot and eventually clear the ball out of danger.
• 13' | Jensen Lukacsko hit a shot that was saved by Sanchez at the near post. The Falcons controlled the play in the early going.
• 15' | Sanchez grabbed a Joey Akpunonu cross out of the air to end another BG threat.
• 28' | Sanchez plucked another ball out of the air, this time a Masters corner kick, to thwart another Falcon chance.
• 31' | After a Northern giveaway, Kale Nichols played a quick pass to Masters, and only a diving stop by Sanchez kept the ball out of the net. The NIUI 'keeper made the save at the near post, and a foul was called on the Falcons on the ensuing corner kick.
• 41' | After a foul on NIU near the BG bench, Chris Sullivan played a free kick into the six-yard box on the far side. Achille Robin's shot was blocked out for a corner. That corner was headed out of play for another BG corner, and that kick curved toward the upper corner of the net before the Huskies were able to block it and eventually clear it away.
• 43' | NIU threatened several times in the latter stages of the half. A low left-side cross was just out of reach of a sliding Huskie forward near the far post, and the ball rolled out of the box.
• 45' | With just 12 seconds left in the half, the hosts put a shot on goal for the first time. Diego Maynez gained possession of the ball on the right side of the 18-yard box. Maynez hit a relatively soft shot that nevertheless was on goal, but Akpunonu blocked it near the goal line.
• 47' | BGSU goalkeeper Logan Kowalczyk's first save of the day came just over 90 seconds into the half, as he stopped an Irvin Dominguez effort at the right post.
• 50' | Kyle Cusimano ran onto a bouncing ball on the right side of the box, and hit a shot that went wide of the far post.
• 56' | Sullivan's right-side serve was knocked out of the box, but was lobbed back into the 18. Sanchez and several other players went up for the ball, and the 'keeper could not corral it. It fell to Robin, who fired a quick shot that rolled inches wide of the left post.
• 70' | GOAL | Vinny Worner slid the ball to Sullivan for a hard one-timer from outside the box, giving the Falcons what would prove to be the winning goal.
• 76' | A shot by Anthony Markanich forced Kowalczyk to leap and push it aside for a corner, and off of that corner, a flurry saw a shot by Roque Viegas Jr. blocked before Camilo Estrada's follow try sailed high.
• 79' | After a foul on the Falcons, NIU's Luis Hernandez took a free kick from approximately 10 yards outside the penalty area. Hernandez hit a hard shot, but it was well over the goal.
• 82' | Northern continued to apply pressure, but after a shot/cross was blocked by Robin, a Maynez effort was wide left.
• 90' | In the final minute of play, a left-side cross by the Huskies went out for a goal kick. Northern would win the ball back, but a final effort in the last 20 seconds was whistled down due to an offside call.

STATS, NOTES & NUMBERS
• NIU had a 13-10 advantage in shots. After BG had a 7-1 lead in the first half, the Huskies had a 12-3 lead in the second.
• Both teams put four shots on goal.
• Chris Sullivan now has 14 goals and 45 points in his BGSU career. He also has three game-winning goals, including two this season.
• Vinny Worner now has four assists and 12 points in his Falcon career.
• BGSU has won six-straight meetings with NIU, with five of those wins coming by one goal.
• The Falcons have recorded three consecutive shutouts vs. MAC opponents for the first time since 2012. That '12 team beat Buffalo, 3-0, then battled NIU to a scoreless draw before posting a 2-0 win over Florida Atlantic.
• The Falcons now have a record of 23-12-3 over the last 38 matches, dating to late in the 2018 season. Eight of the 12 setbacks have come by a single goal.

UP NEXT
• BGSU will be home for the next two matches, beginning next Sunday (March 28), when West Virginia comes to Cochrane Stadium for a 3:00 p.m. contest.

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.