Buckeyes Strike Late to Stop Falcons, 2-1

Wednesday, September 29

Columbus, OH

7:00 PM

Bowling Green State University

7-2-1, 0-0-0

Ohio State

4-4-1, 0-1-0

Bowling Green

Ohio St.

Photo by: Jay LaPrete, Ohio State Athletics

September 29, 2021 | Men's Soccer

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By: by Mike Cihon, BGSU Strategic Communications

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Xavier Green's goal in the 106th minute gave host Ohio State University a 2-1 win over the Bowling Green State University men's soccer team Wednesday night (Sept. 29). The double-overtime non-conference contest was held at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium

The loss snapped a four-game winning streak for the Falcons (7-2-1), who are ranked 17th in the nation in the United Soccer Coaches poll and 22nd by College Soccer News.

Jacob Erlandson gave BGSU the lead with a goal early in the second half, but the Buckeyes (4-4-1) tied the contest late, on a Devyn Etling goal.

OSU goalkeeper Keagan McLaughlin made six saves, including a stop on a penalty kick in the second overtime that kept the contest alive.

Logan Kowalczyk had four stops in goal for BGSU.

QUOTING COACH NICHOLS
"This was a heartbreaker, for sure. I'm not sure we were at our best in the first half, but we came on after the break, and I was really happy with how we played in the second half. There were definitely a few heartbreaking moments. When you get into the final five minutes and give away a goal on a set piece, it is not ideal. But it was a test for us, to see if we could come back and handle ourselves, and we did."

"In overtime, I felt good about the way we were playing. We obviously drew a PK, and if you convert a PK, the game's over. But, I'm proud of a lot of what the guys did tonight. I think any time you lose, it makes you examine everything with a critical eye. I'm actually going to look at this one with more of a positive eye. I just think we did so many good things. We were bold, we went for it, and sometimes when you're bold, you come up short. We've got to be tough enough to handle this and bounce back."

HOW IT HAPPENED
• The bulk of the action took place in the midfield in the first 20 minutes of the match. Each team took one shot during that time, and neither shot could be considered much of a scoring threat.
• With just over 20 minutes gone, Kale Nichols slid a right-side pass toward Sergi Martinez in the penalty area. Martinez, with a defender on his heels, attempted to redirect the ball on target, but put his shot wide of the near post.
• Five minutes later, a long ball by Josh Erlandson was deflected to Kyle Cusimano, who hit a low shot that rolled just wide of the near post.
• Xavier Green had a good chance for the hosts with 11 minutes left in the opening half, but he sent his shot high from just inside the 18-yard line.
• Early in the second half, the Falcons got on the board. Zach Buescher was fouled on the left side of the pitch. Alberto Anaya took the ensuing free kick, and his diagonal ball found Jacob Erlandson in the box. The senior defender headed the ball home at the 5123 mark to give the Falcons the lead.
• BG threatened again immediately after the goal. The visitors were unable to get a shot off, but won a corner kick before the Buckeyes finally were able to clear the ball out of danger.
• Just a few minutes later, Nathan Masters tracked down a diagonal ball on the left side of the box near the end line. He played it back across, and off of a deflection, Kale Nichols hit a quick shot, but Keagan McLaughlin was able to make the save.
• Buescher floated a free kick toward the left side of the box, and Jacob Erlandson's header was just off target. Buescher fired a shot from distance that was blocked with BG buzzing in the Buckeyes' end. And, Buescher ran onto a loose ball and hit a hard shot with 12:30 to go, but it sailed high.
• The Buckeyes had several scoring chances as well. Laurence Wootton's shot was deflected by a BG defender out of play, and the ensuing corner kick was headed away by Cusimano.
• With four minutes left, Devyn Etling had a pair of chances. His header off of a left-side cross forced Logan Kowalczyk into a diving stop. Etling was first to the rebound in traffic, and poked the ball toward net. The shot squirted past Kowalczyk, but the BG 'keeper was able to turn around and slap the ball away as it bounded toward the goal line. OSU put the ball right back into the box, and this time, Kowalczyk somehow tipped it into the air with a leaping effort near the crossbar, before Jacob Erlandson cleared it out of danger with a bicycle kick.
• But, with 2:40 to go, Etling and the Buckeyes equalized. Owen Sullivan crossed the ball into the box from the right side, and Etling headed it into the net to tie the score.
• Just 30 seconds into the first overtime period, Masters got his head on a long BG free kick, sending the ball to Martinez just outside the penalty box on the left side. Martinez headed the ball into the box, and Masters trapped it down and poked a shot on frame that forced McLaughlin into a diving save.
• Midway through the period, Anaya crossed the ball into the mixer after a short corner kick, and Jacob Erlandson headed it just high.
• Cusimano found Nichols, who played the ball to Martinez in the center of the box with just over one minute left in the period. Martinez fired from 12 yards out, but his shot was deflected high for a corner kick.
• That corner kick, taken by Anaya, again found the head of Jacob Erlandson, but his shot was just off the mark.
• In the second overtime, Nichols slid a dangerous ball through the box from the right side. McLaughlin got a foot on the ball, and another deflection sent it toward the left side of the box. As he raced for the ball, Jacob Erlandson was tripped from behind by Parker Grinstead, and a penalty kick was awarded. McLaughlin, however, was able to save Erlandon's effort, and the match continued.
• Erlandson got his head on the ensuing corner kick, and it was on frame, but was stopped by a diving OSU 'keeper.
• Kowalczyk made a save on a low drive by Channing Chasten less than a minute later.
• But, at the 105:37 mark, Chasten's low, left-side cross was redirected into the far corner of the net by Green, giving the Buckeyes the victory.

STATS, NOTES & NUMBERS
• Each team had 16 total shots, and BG had a slim 7-6 advantage in shots on goal. The Falcons also had a narrow lead, 6-5, in corner kicks.
• BGSU allowed two goals in a match for the first time this season. The Falcons have surrendered just five goals in 10 games.
• Jacob Erlandson led all players with six total shots, and tied for game honors with three shots on goal.
• Erlandson now has eight points on the year, tying him for third on the team.
• Alberto Anaya picked up his third assist of the season, and his third in the last two matches. Anaya, who assisted on both goals in BG's win at Canisius on Friday (Sept. 24), now has seven points on the year.
• The Falcons now have a record of 32-16-5 over the last 53 matches, dating to late in the 2018 season. Twelve of the 16 setbacks in that time have come by a single goal.

UP NEXT
• The Falcons now are idle for over a week, before beginning the Mid-American Conference schedule with two matches in a three-day span. BGSU will open league play by hosting Georgia State next Thursday (Oct. 7), before facing Georgia Southern two days later (Oct. 9). Both matches will begin at 7:00 p.m. kickoff at Cochrane Stadium.
• Then, the Falcons will return to the road for the next four matches, facing Northern Illinois (Oct. 16), Purdue Fort Wayne (Oct. 19), Akron (Oct. 23) and Oakland (Oct. 26).

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.