Broncos Strike Early, Then Hold on for 2-1 Win

Wednesday, April 7

Kalamazoo, Mich.

3:00 PM

Bowling Green State University

5-4-0, 3-2-0

Western Michigan

6-3-0, 4-3-0

Bowling Green

Western Mich.

Jacob Jake Erlandson v SIUE - March 14 2021

Photo by: Mallory Hiser, BGSU Athletics

April 07, 2021 | Men's Soccer

Box Score BGSU-WMU Stats

By: by Mike Cihon, BGSU Athletics

KALAMAZOO, Mich. – Western Michigan University scored a pair of early goals, and the Broncos held on for a 2-1 win over the Bowling Green State University men's soccer team Wednesday afternoon (April 7), in Mid-American Conference action at the WMU Soccer Complex.

The Falcons (5-4-0, 3-2-0 MAC), playing for the first time in 17 days, controlled play for the bulk of the 90 minutes, and BGSU had an 8-3 advantage in total shot attempts on the afternoon. But, the Broncos (6-3-0, 4-3-0 MAC) got goals from Dylan Sing and Mike Melaragni less then five minutes apart to take a two-goal lead in the 19th minute.

Jacob Erlandson scored in the final seconds of the first half, beating the buzzer with a header off of a Joey Akpunonu throw-in. A WMU defender deflected the ball off of the crossbar with a lunging effort, and Kale Nichols got to the rebound and hit a left-footed shot across his body. The shot landed just across the goal line, but the assistant referee ruled that the Erlandson header had crossed the line prior to the rebound. But, the Falcons were unable to find the equalizer in the second half.

GOALS / KEY MOMENTS
• 3' | Kyle Cusimano's shot was blocked in the penalty area after a short right-side cross from a teammate. The shot came from the corner of the six-yard box.
• 4' | Nathan Masters cut ball back to a teammate from the end line, but the Falcons were unable to get a shot off.
• 14' | After Masters and Kale Nichols executed a combination play, Nichols made a nifty dummy to enable a Masters pass to find Jacob Erlandson on the left side of the box. But, Erlandson's shot was blocked by a defender.
• 14' | GOAL | Less than a minute later, though, Dylan Sing gave the Broncos an early lead. Pepe Martinez-Bertrand won the ball and slid a right-side cross to an open Sing in the center of the box. Sing hit a one-timer that found the right side of the net.
• 19' | GOAL | Mike Melaragni gave the hosts a two-goal lead, heading home a diagonal ball from Caden Jackman.
• 21' | A pass from a WMU defender got past Bronco goalkeeper Isaac Walker, but rolled wide of the far post, and Western was able to head the ensuing BG corner kick out of the 18-yard box.
• 24' | The Broncos were called for a foul near midfield, but a BG free kick sailed just out of reach of a lunging Erlandson in the box and went out for a Bronco goal kick.
• 27' | A pass found Chris Sullivan in the box, but his shot was blocked by a Bronco defender. Roberto Fernandez Garrido settled the rebound and found Cusimano, but his half-volley was blocked as well, and an Erlandson effort was smothered at the top of the box.
• 32' | A through ball by Sullivan was cleared away by a defender just before it reached Nichols near the 18-yard line
• 42' | Jensen Lukacsko's serve into the box was headed out. Joey Akpunonu played it back in, but Walker was able to grab the ball out of the air.
• 43' | Sullivan's forward ball just missed finding a streaking Eli Shope at the top of the box.
• 45' | GOAL | BGSU beat the buzzer to cut the WMU lead in half before the break. Akpunonu's throw-in was headed toward goal by Erlandson. A Bronco defender was able to kick the ball off of the crossbar with a sliding effort before he himself slid into the net. Nichols collected the ball near the left post, and quickly hit a left-footed shot across his body, flipping it over that same defender. The ball landed just across the line, ahead of a sliding Walker. The goal was credited to Erlandson, with Akpunonu picking up the assist.
• 48' | A left-side cross by Masters was just out of reach of Cusimano in the box, and rolled out the other side. As was the case in first half, BGSU had much of the possession in the first few minutes of the second period.
• 51' | Sullivan made a long run, and worked a quick give-and-go with a teammate. He got the ball back and hit a right-side cross that was just out of the reach of two teammates, including a diving Masters in the box.
• 59' | Walker came out to challenge for a BGSU diagonal ball from the left side. The onrushing Vinny Worner poked it past Walker, but was unable to catch up to the ball before it rolled over the end line for a goal kick.
• 68' | A cusimano cross from the right side just missed finding Nichols in the penalty area.
• 71' | On a counterattack, Western's Antonio Rizzo tried a one-time chip at the top of the box after a long ball from a teammate, but that shot went well over the goal.
• 74' | After a foul on the Falcons, WMU had a shot off of the ensuing free kick, but that effort was blocked by Achille Robin in the box.
• 80' | Worner slid a short pass ahead to Sullivan, who won a corner kick. BUt, off of that short corner, Sullivan's cross was grabbed by Walker on the end line.
• 81' | Nichols won another BG corner, as his header was deflected by Walker as the two went up for a ball near the 18-yard line. But, the Broncos were able to clear Sullivan's corner away.
• 82' | Worner slid a cross to Cusimano from the left side, and Cusimano hit a quick one-time effort with a lot of force behind it. But, Walker made the save at the near post.
• 87' | A throw-in by Akpunonu sailed into the 18-yard box, where a Bronco defender knocked it away. But, the ball went toward Zach Buescher, who blasted a volley out of midair from 25 yards out. Luckily for Walker, the strike was hit directly at him.
• 89' | Nichols won another Falcon corner kick with 1:48 to go. Sullivan took the kick, and Fernandez Garrido knocked it back across the box from the far side. Sullivan played it back in, but Walker was able to smother the ball to end the threat.

UP NEXT
• BGSU will be home for the next three matches, beginning Sunday (April 11), when Akron comes to Cochrane Stadium for a 1:00 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.