Falcons Fire on All Cylinders in Home-Opening Obliteration of Oakland

Sunday, August 29

Bowling Green, OH

2:00 PM

Bowling Green State University

1-3-0, 0-0-0

Oakland

1-3-0, 0-0-0

Oakland

Bowling Green

Kennedy White (left) congratulates Ruby Linton after Linton's first-half goal on Sunday afternoon

Photo by: Mallory Hiser, BGSU Athletics

Falcons Fire on All Cylinders in Home-Opening Obliteration of Oakland

August 29, 2021 | Women's Soccer

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Wolfbauer, Nikki Cox each score twice in Sunday's 6-0 win

By: by Mike Cihon, BGSU Athletics

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – The Bowling Green State University women's soccer team opened the home portion of the 2021 schedule in style, ruthlessly defeating Oakland University by a 6-0 score on Sunday afternoon (Aug. 29). The non-conference match was held at a sun-drenched Cochrane Stadium.

Madi Wolfbauer and Nikki Cox scored two goals apiece for the Falcons (1-3-0) in the win. Ruby Linton scored her first collegiate goal, while Rylee Clark recorded her first goal as a Falcon.

The Orange and Brown, after playing well but not earning a result in three road matches vs. Power-Five Conference opponents (Notre Dame, Michigan and Ohio State), jumped on top of the Golden Grizzlies (1-3-0) on Wolfbauer's 17th-minute goal, and BGSU never looked back.

The Falcons scored three times in each half. recording a double-digit shot total in each period as well. Lili Berg and Riley Moore combined on the shutout in goal, making one save apiece.

NOTE OF THE DAY
• BGSU's total of six goals was the highest of the Jimmy Walker head-coaching Era, and was the Falcons' highest offensive output since a 7-0 win on Oct. 24, 2019, at Northern Illinois.
• The Falcons' goal total was the highest at Cochrane Stadium since a 6-0 win over Youngstown State on Sept. 16, 2018.

BONUS NOTE OF THE DAY
• BGSU has won five consecutive home matches, and the Falcons are unbeaten in the last eight contests (7-0-1) at Cochrane Stadium.
• The Falcons have outscored the opponents by a 22-3 count in those eight matches.

HOW IT HAPPENED
• The Grizzlies had the bulk of the possession during the first 15 minutes of the match, but a quick counterattack led to the Falcons' first goal, and BG never looked back.
• That goal came after an Oakland cross into the box. Mackenzie Reuber cleared that ball away, finding Nikki Cox near midfield. Cox, facing away from goal, chested the ball down, turned and played Kennedy White into space. White took one dribble into the right side of the penalty area, then played a cross to the onrushing Madi Wolfbauer. And, Wolfbauer's finish was clinical, as she hit a one-timer into the upper-left-hand corner of the goal.
• BGSU doubled the lead in the 26th minute. White again had the primary assist, as she stole an an errant Oakland pass in the Golden Grizzlies' defensive third. White quickly played a pass to Ruby Linton on the left side. Linton took a touch and, from the 18-yard line near the left corner of the penalty area, fired a shot toward the far corner of the net. OU starting 'keeper Noemi Stadelmann got a glove on the ball, but could not keep it out of the net.
• The Falcons' third goal came after Zoe Hudson gained possession of the ball near midfield. She played a pass to Madison Alberty, who in turn found Nikki Cox in the center of the park. Cox took several touches, then fired a shot from distance that curved away from the diving Stadelmann and found the net just inside the left post.
• One of Oakland's best chances of the afternoon came with time winding down in the first half. Carmela Barro hit a shot from distance that glanced off the top of the crossbar and out of play as the final seconds ticked away.
• Off of a Jasmijn Dijsselhof corner kick in the 53rd minute of the match, Audrey Shea got her head on the ball in a crowded six-yard box. The ball caromed off of a player, and Wolfbauer quickly poked it home near the right post.
• The Falcons made it a five-goal lead just over 11 minutes later. After an Oakland foul near midfield, the Falcons played a quick series of passes near the center of the field. Shea hit a long ball ahead, and Nikki Cox settled it at the top of the 18-yard box, took a touch and hit a low shot that found the left side of the net.
• Alberty nearly made it a six-goal lead with just under nine minutes to go. Pressure by Lynsey Spotts forced a turnover, as an attempted clearing ball was picked off by Alberty. The Ohio State transfer eluded several defenders, then chipped a shot from approximately 25 yards out. OU goalkeeper Myia Danek, with a leaping effort, tipped the shot off of the crossbar, and the Grizzlies were eventually able to clear the ball out of danger.
• Moments later, though, Rylee Clark did make it a six-goal margin. Katie Cox played a ball to Spotts at the top of the box. Spotts, heading from left to right near the 18-yard line, laid the ball back into the path of Clark. Clark hit a one-timer from exactly 18 yards out that eluded the diving Danek. The 'keeper got a fingertip on the ball, but could not keep it from going into the net.

QUOTING COACH WALKER
"It's nice to get the first win. We've played against some powerhouse teams in Notre Dame, Michigan and Ohio State, and the reason we've played teams like that is to make us better and prepare us for the rest of the season. We came out and played very well today."

"We are getting better each game, and we played very well both defensively and offensively. We put a really good game together today."

STATS, NOTES & NUMBERS
• BGSU outshot Oakland, 24-8, on Sunday, and the Falcons had a 15-2 advantage in shots on goal.
• The Falcons had a 4-3 advantage in corner kicks in the match.
• Madi Wolfbauer led all players with eight shots. She and Nikki Cox each put three shots on goal.
• Lili Berg and Riley Moore combined on the shutout. Berg made one save in nearly 62 minutes of action. Moore played the final 28:08 and also made one save, the first of her collegiate career.
• For Oakland, Macey Wierenda had four of the team's eight total shot attempts.
• Noemi Stadelmann played 66:40 in goal and made five saves, while Myia Danek stopped four of the five shots on goal against her in the final 23:20.
• BGSU now has an overall record of 48-22-8 since the start of the 2017 season. The Falcons are 31-7-1 in MAC regular-season matches and 38-8-3 in all games vs. conference foes in that time.
• And, since the beginning of the 2018 campaign, the Falcons are now 35-15-7 overall, 25-3-0 in MAC regular-season action and 30-3-2 in all games vs. league opposition.

UP NEXT
• The Falcons return to the road on Thursday (Sept. 2), heading to East Lansing to take on Michigan State in a 7:00 p.m. start. BGSU faces four Big Ten Conference opponents in a five-match span.
• The Falcons' next home match will be Thursday, Sept. 9, when Illinois comes to Cochrane for a 7:00 p.m. start.

Gallery: (8-29-2021) W.Soccer v Oakland - Aug 29 2021

Gallery: (8-29-2021) W.Soccer v Oakland - Aug 29 2021 2

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.