Friday, September 17
Bowling Green, OH
7:00 PM
Bowling Green State University
5-1-1, 0-0-0
2
vs
0
#13/17 FIU
4-1-1, 0-0-0
1
2
F
FIU
0
0
0
Bowling Green
0
2
2
Roberto Fernandez Garrido scores the Falcons' second goal of the night
Photo by: Larry Clapper
Falcons Take Down #13/17 FIU, 2-0
September 17, 2021 | Men's Soccer
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – The Bowling Green State University men's soccer team controlled Friday night's (Sept. 17) match from start to finish, downing nationally-ranked FIU by a 2-0 score at Cochrane Stadium.
Sergi Martinez and Roberto Fernandez Garrido scored second-half goals for the Falcons (now 5-1-1), who outshot the #13/17 Panthers by a 19-9 count. Those 19 shots included an Alberto Anaya blast that hit the crossbar and a Martinez shot that hit the post, both in the first 15 minutes of the match.
BGSU enjoyed 63 percent of the possession against the visitors, who lost for the first time this season. FIU is now 4-1-1 on the year.
Logan Kowalczyk made two saves to earn his fifth shutout in seven matches this season.
NOTE OF THE NIGHT
• The win was the 100th victory for head coach Eric Nichols since he arrived at BGSU. It came in front of numerous former players, as it was Alumni Night for the men's soccer program and a large number of former Falcon greats were in attendance.
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QUOTING COACH NICHOLS
"There are certain nights when things just come together for you. It started with the atmosphere and the crowd. It's always nice to get the support of the alums and to put together a performance they can be proud of. And, there's a lot to be proud of tonight. We were solid all the way through."
HOW IT HAPPENED
• The Falcons threatened from the outset. With just five minutes gone, Sergi Martinez intercepted a ball in the FIU end of the field and found Nathan Masters with a pass. Masters slid the ball into the path of Alberto Anaya, who uncorked a shot from approximately 25 yards out. The shot hit the crossbar and bounced straight down, landing on the end line before caroming into the hands of grateful goalkeeper Grant Makela.
• About 12 minutes into the match, Kale Nichols took a pass from Kyle Cusimano on the right side of the pitch. Nichols' resulting right-side cross went into the box, where Masters got a boot on it, but the ball was blocked out of play for a corner kick.
• Just over three minutes later, Zach Buescher had the ball in the center of the field, about 30 yards from goal. He slid a pass to Anaya on his left, and Anaya faked a shot, then played the ball ahead to Martinez in the box. Martinez hit a shot across his body, and the shot eluded Makela but hit the far post. In the ensuing scrum, Masters and an FIIU defender collided and went to the ground in the box, and an Anaya shot was blocked by one of those two players.
• And, just over a minute later, after a long throw-in by Cusimano was blocked by a defender, Joey Akpunonu ran onto the ball and hit a hard volley from just outside the 18-yard line, but the shot thwacked off of the head of a Panther player.
• Midway through the half, Nichols and Anaya worked a combination play. Nichols received Anaya's through-ball in the box, and his shot eluded the charging goalkeeper, but FIU defender Edgar Aguilar was able to knock the ball out of the goalmouth for a 'team save.'
• Less than a minute later, Jacob Erlandson got his head on a Joey Akpunonu throw-in, flicking the ball backward in a harbinger of things to come. Masters redirected a quick shot toward goal, but the ball went just over the crossbar.
• Early in the second half, Jensen Lukacsko made a long run with the ball down the right side of the field and played a diagonal ball into the box. The resulting header by Masters forced Makela into a leaping, acrobatic save.
• GOAL | BGSU scored with just over 59 minutes gone. A long throw-in by Akpunonu was headed backward by Erlandson. Martinez knocked the ball home from the center of the six-yard box to give BGSU the lead for good.
• Only 90 seconds after the goal, Erlandson made a long run down the middle of the pitch, sliding a pass through several FIU players toward the onrushing Martinez on the left side of the penalty area. Martinez hit a shot that got past the charging 'keeper, but rolled inches wide of the far post.
• GOAL | Roberto Fernandez Garrido doubled the BG lead with 15 minutes on the clock. Martinez lobbed a ball over the top to Fernandez Garrido, who was racing into the penalty area. Off of the second bounce, Fernandez Garrido chipped the ball over Makela and into the upper half of the vacated net.
• Arguably FIU's best scoring chance of the night had come with approximately 35 minutes left. Stephen Afrifa took a pass from Rasmus Tobinski and hit a shot as he entered the left side of the 18-yard box. Afrifa's effort hit the crossbar, and the rebound came to FIU's Mauro Bravo, but he was quickly dispossessed by defender Michael Montemurri, and the Falcons took the lead just under four minutes later.
STATS, NOTES & NUMBERS
• The Falcons had advantages of 19-9 in total shot attempts, 6-2 in shots on goal and 8-3 in corner kicks.
• Alberto Anaya and Nathan Masters each took five shots, while Martinez had three shot attempts on the night.
• Logan Kowalczyk had two saves en route to his fifth shutout in seven matches this season. Kowalczyk now has 10 clean sheets in 19 career starts.
• Sergi Martinez and Roberto Fernandez Garrido each scored a goal for the second-straight game and for the third time this season.
• Martinez scored his first game-winning goal as a Falcon. The Hartford transfer had a three-point night and now leads the Brown and Orange with nine points on the year.
• Fernandez Garrido is tied with Kyle Cusimano for second on the team with six points.
• The Falcons have a record of 30-15-5 over the last 50 matches, dating to late in the 2018 season. Eleven of the 15 setbacks in that time have come by a single goal.
• BGSU is now 10-1-2 in the last 13 matches at Cochrane Stadium. Prior to Tuesday night, eight-straight home games had been decided by one goal or fewer, with six of those contests requiring overtime. But, BG now has won back-to-back multiple-goal games at home, downing Wright State by a 3-0 count before besting FIU.
• BG is now 11-3-2 at home over the last two-plus seasons, having outscored the opponents by a 28-10 count during that time.
• And, the Falcons are 23-7-10 at Cochrane since the start of the 2016 season and 35-11-11 since the beginning of the 2014 campaign.
• The Falcons have outscored the opposition at Cochrane, 109-42, dating to the final home game of the 2013 season.
UP NEXT
• The Falcons' season-long four-match homestand wraps up on Tuesday (Sept. 21) against Detroit Mercy. First touch is set for 7:00 p.m.
• Then, the Brown and Orange will hit the road to face Canisius next Friday afternoon, Sept. 24.
ÂGallery: (9-17-2021) M.Soccer v FIU - Sept 17 2021
Gallery: (9-17-2021) M.Soccer v FIU - Sept 17 2021 - 2
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.
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Sergi Martinez and Roberto Fernandez Garrido scored second-half goals for the Falcons (now 5-1-1), who outshot the #13/17 Panthers by a 19-9 count. Those 19 shots included an Alberto Anaya blast that hit the crossbar and a Martinez shot that hit the post, both in the first 15 minutes of the match.
BGSU enjoyed 63 percent of the possession against the visitors, who lost for the first time this season. FIU is now 4-1-1 on the year.
Logan Kowalczyk made two saves to earn his fifth shutout in seven matches this season.
NOTE OF THE NIGHT
• The win was the 100th victory for head coach Eric Nichols since he arrived at BGSU. It came in front of numerous former players, as it was Alumni Night for the men's soccer program and a large number of former Falcon greats were in attendance.
Â
Congrats to Coach Nichols on his 100th win at BGSU!#AyZiggy | ⚽⚽⚽ pic.twitter.com/wGeTIo48fr
— BGSU Men's Soccer (@BGSUmenssoccer) September 18, 2021
QUOTING COACH NICHOLS
"There are certain nights when things just come together for you. It started with the atmosphere and the crowd. It's always nice to get the support of the alums and to put together a performance they can be proud of. And, there's a lot to be proud of tonight. We were solid all the way through."
HOW IT HAPPENED
• The Falcons threatened from the outset. With just five minutes gone, Sergi Martinez intercepted a ball in the FIU end of the field and found Nathan Masters with a pass. Masters slid the ball into the path of Alberto Anaya, who uncorked a shot from approximately 25 yards out. The shot hit the crossbar and bounced straight down, landing on the end line before caroming into the hands of grateful goalkeeper Grant Makela.
• About 12 minutes into the match, Kale Nichols took a pass from Kyle Cusimano on the right side of the pitch. Nichols' resulting right-side cross went into the box, where Masters got a boot on it, but the ball was blocked out of play for a corner kick.
• Just over three minutes later, Zach Buescher had the ball in the center of the field, about 30 yards from goal. He slid a pass to Anaya on his left, and Anaya faked a shot, then played the ball ahead to Martinez in the box. Martinez hit a shot across his body, and the shot eluded Makela but hit the far post. In the ensuing scrum, Masters and an FIIU defender collided and went to the ground in the box, and an Anaya shot was blocked by one of those two players.
• And, just over a minute later, after a long throw-in by Cusimano was blocked by a defender, Joey Akpunonu ran onto the ball and hit a hard volley from just outside the 18-yard line, but the shot thwacked off of the head of a Panther player.
• Midway through the half, Nichols and Anaya worked a combination play. Nichols received Anaya's through-ball in the box, and his shot eluded the charging goalkeeper, but FIU defender Edgar Aguilar was able to knock the ball out of the goalmouth for a 'team save.'
• Less than a minute later, Jacob Erlandson got his head on a Joey Akpunonu throw-in, flicking the ball backward in a harbinger of things to come. Masters redirected a quick shot toward goal, but the ball went just over the crossbar.
• Early in the second half, Jensen Lukacsko made a long run with the ball down the right side of the field and played a diagonal ball into the box. The resulting header by Masters forced Makela into a leaping, acrobatic save.
• GOAL | BGSU scored with just over 59 minutes gone. A long throw-in by Akpunonu was headed backward by Erlandson. Martinez knocked the ball home from the center of the six-yard box to give BGSU the lead for good.
• Only 90 seconds after the goal, Erlandson made a long run down the middle of the pitch, sliding a pass through several FIU players toward the onrushing Martinez on the left side of the penalty area. Martinez hit a shot that got past the charging 'keeper, but rolled inches wide of the far post.
• GOAL | Roberto Fernandez Garrido doubled the BG lead with 15 minutes on the clock. Martinez lobbed a ball over the top to Fernandez Garrido, who was racing into the penalty area. Off of the second bounce, Fernandez Garrido chipped the ball over Makela and into the upper half of the vacated net.
• Arguably FIU's best scoring chance of the night had come with approximately 35 minutes left. Stephen Afrifa took a pass from Rasmus Tobinski and hit a shot as he entered the left side of the 18-yard box. Afrifa's effort hit the crossbar, and the rebound came to FIU's Mauro Bravo, but he was quickly dispossessed by defender Michael Montemurri, and the Falcons took the lead just under four minutes later.
STATS, NOTES & NUMBERS
• The Falcons had advantages of 19-9 in total shot attempts, 6-2 in shots on goal and 8-3 in corner kicks.
• Alberto Anaya and Nathan Masters each took five shots, while Martinez had three shot attempts on the night.
• Logan Kowalczyk had two saves en route to his fifth shutout in seven matches this season. Kowalczyk now has 10 clean sheets in 19 career starts.
• Sergi Martinez and Roberto Fernandez Garrido each scored a goal for the second-straight game and for the third time this season.
• Martinez scored his first game-winning goal as a Falcon. The Hartford transfer had a three-point night and now leads the Brown and Orange with nine points on the year.
• Fernandez Garrido is tied with Kyle Cusimano for second on the team with six points.
• The Falcons have a record of 30-15-5 over the last 50 matches, dating to late in the 2018 season. Eleven of the 15 setbacks in that time have come by a single goal.
• BGSU is now 10-1-2 in the last 13 matches at Cochrane Stadium. Prior to Tuesday night, eight-straight home games had been decided by one goal or fewer, with six of those contests requiring overtime. But, BG now has won back-to-back multiple-goal games at home, downing Wright State by a 3-0 count before besting FIU.
• BG is now 11-3-2 at home over the last two-plus seasons, having outscored the opponents by a 28-10 count during that time.
• And, the Falcons are 23-7-10 at Cochrane since the start of the 2016 season and 35-11-11 since the beginning of the 2014 campaign.
• The Falcons have outscored the opposition at Cochrane, 109-42, dating to the final home game of the 2013 season.
UP NEXT
• The Falcons' season-long four-match homestand wraps up on Tuesday (Sept. 21) against Detroit Mercy. First touch is set for 7:00 p.m.
• Then, the Brown and Orange will hit the road to face Canisius next Friday afternoon, Sept. 24.
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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.
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Team Stats
FIU
BGSU
Goals
0
2
Shots
9
19
Shots on Goal
2
6
Saves
3
2
Corners
3
8
Fouls
11
16
Scoring Plays
Sergi Martinez (3)
Assisted By: Jacob Erlandson , Joey Akpunonu
GOAL by BGSU Martinez, Sergi Assist by Erlandson, Jacob and Akpunonu, Joey.
59:05
Roberto Fernandez Garrido (3)
Assisted By: Sergi Martinez
GOAL by BGSU Fernandez Garrido, Roberto Assist by Martinez, Sergi.
75:03
Game Leaders
Players
Shots
3
SOG
1
Goals
1
Assists
1
Shots
1
SOG
1
Goals
1
Assists
0
Shots
1
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
1
Shots
0
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
1
Players Mentioned
D
/ Men's Soccer
M
/ Men's Soccer
M
/ Men's Soccer
M
/ Men's SoccerD
/ Men's SoccerF
/ Men's Soccer
GK
/ Men's Soccer
M
/ Men's SoccerM
/ Men's Soccer
M
/ Men's Soccer
D
/ Men's Soccer
M
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