Dean's Late Strike Lifts Falcons to 1-1 Draw at MSU

Thursday, September 2

East Lansing, MI

7:00 PM

Bowling Green State University

1-3-1, 0-0-0

Michigan State

3-0-2, 0-0-0

Bowling Green

Michigan St.

Maya Dean (7) scored her first collegiate goal late in regulation at Michigan State

Photo by: Mallory Hiser, BGSU Athletics

September 02, 2021 | Women's Soccer

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Berg makes career-high seven saves

By: by Mike Cihon, BGSU Strategic Communications

EAST LANSING, Mich. – Sophomore Maya Dean's game-tying goal late in regulation lifted the Bowling Green State University women's soccer team to a 1-1 tie on the road against Michigan State University Thursday night (Sept. 2). The double-overtime non-conference match was held at DeMartin Stadium

The Falcons (1-3-1) fell behind in the early going, as after a handball was called in the box, MSU's Zivana Labovic converted a penalty kick in the third minute. But, Lili Berg and the BG defense would not let the Spartans (3-0-2) score again.

Dean's goal came with just 1:26 to go in the second half. After Ruby Linton played a ball into the box, it was headed by a defender. Dean won a challenge for the ball and quickly chipped a shot into the net for the equalizer.

NOTE OF THE NIGHT
• Maya Dean's goal was the first of her BGSU career. She is the 15th different player on the 2021 roster with at least one goal as a Falcon.

HOW IT HAPPENED
• Michigan State struck early, on a penalty kick. A ball bounced up and struck the arm of a BGSU player near the top of the box, and Zivana Labovic scored on the ensuing PK just 2:06 into the match.
• In the 26th minute of the match, Madi Wolfbauer played a ball toward the center of the box from the right side. The shot/cross was played in the direction of Nikki Cox, but Cox was unable to settle it and get a shot off before the Spartans cleared it out of danger.
• Several minutes later, Mackenzie Reuber centered the ball from the right side, and Nikki Cox got her head on the ball on the left side of the six-yard box, but the shot was just off the mark.
• In the 62nd minute, Ruby Linton met Reuber's cross with a one-time volley from the left side of the box. But, the hard shot was blocked by a defender.
• Maya Dean tied the match with just 1:26 to go in regulation. Linton crossed a ball into the box from the left side. MSU 'keeper Lauren Kozal came out to grab the ball, but a Spartan defender headed it away. Dean settled the ball, beat a defender on the right side of the box, and hit a volley that sailed over Kozal and found the far side of the net.
• Lili Berg made a pair of saves in overtime, and Dean put another shot on frame in the second OT, but the match ended in a draw.

STATS, NOTES & NUMBERS
• The Spartans had advantages of 9-3 in total shot attempts and 5-1 in shots on goal in the first half. BG had three corner kicks to MSU's two in the opening 45 minutes.
• The Falcons had a 5-2 advantage in shots in the second half, and although the Spartans were credited with a 7-3 lead in overtime shot attempts, each team put two shots on goal in the final 20 minutes of play.
• Overall, MSU had an 18-11 lead in shots, and an 8-5 edge in shots on goal. Each team had six corner kicks.
• Lili Berg made seven saves in the match, the highest total of her career to date. She now has 20 stops this season, topping her total (16) for all of last season.
• BGSU now has an overall record of 48-22-9 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 35-15-8 overall, 25-3-0 in MAC regular-season action and 30-3-2 in all games vs. league opposition.

UP NEXT
• The Falcons will be home for the next two matches, beginning next Thursday (Sept. 9). BGSU will face a fourth Big Ten Conference opponent in a five-match span when Illinois comes to town for a 7:00 p.m. matchup at Cochrane Stadium.
• Then, the Orange and Brown will wrap up the non-conference schedule by hosting Xavier on Thursday, Sept. 16. That game will begin at 6:00 p.m. at Cochrane.

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.