Second-Half PK Sends Buckeyes Past BG, 1-0

Thursday, September 1

Bowling Green, Ohio

7:00 PM

Bowling Green State University

0-2-1, 0-0-0

Ohio State

2-0-1, 0-0-0

Ohio St.

Bowling Green

Photo by: Larry Clapper

September 01, 2022 | Men's Soccer

Box Score BGSU-OSU Stats Photo Gallery

By: by Mike Cihon, BGSU Strategic Communications

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – Laurence Wootton converted a penalty kick with just over 10 minutes left in the match, lifting Ohio State University to a 1-0 win over the Bowling Green State University men's soccer team Thursday evening (Sept. 1) at Cochrane Stadium.

With the win, the Buckeyes improve to 2-0-1 on the young season, while the Falcons drop to 0-2-1.

The Falcons held advantages of 10-9 in total shot attempts and 4-3 in shots on goal. Keagan McLaughlin made four saves, including a diving stop of a first-half penalty kick, to earn the shutout for the Buckeyes.

For the Falcons, Brendan Graves had one save on the night, and BGSU also had a 'team save' as Eli Shope blocked an Ohio State shot off of the goal line.

QUOTING COACH NICHOLS
"What a crowd, what an environment tonight. I'm just sorry that we didn't send them away with something to cheer for. I know the guys are really hurting right now, but that's the way the game goes at times. We got a PK, and we didn't make it; they get a PK and they make theirs.

"Both teams played well. We had chances and they had chances. But, it definitely hurts because we were unable to send this great crowd away with a goal."

HIGHLIGHTS
• The Falcons were awarded a penalty kick roughly eight minutes into the match, when Nathan Masters was taken down in the box by OSU's Owen Sullivan. But, Buckeye goalkeeper Keagan McLaughlin made a diving stop on Alberto Anaya's PK try.
• Midway through the opening half, the Buckeyes had a quality scoring chance, but back-to-back shots were blocked. The first shot in that sequence was stopped by Eli Shope near the goal line.
• With 10 minutes left before halftime, a Shope throw-in found Trace Terry, who in turn got the ball to Sergi Martinez. The Falcons worked the ball into the OSU penalty area, and Kale Nichols fired a Kyle Cusimano pass on frame, but McLaughlin was able to make the save.
• Under two minutes into the second half, BGSU provided another dangerous moment in the offensive end. Nichols and Masters worked a combination play near the end line on the left side. Nichols slid the ball toward the goalmouth, and as McLaughlin looked to grab it, Masters came racing in to flick the ball away. Nichols tracked it down, but the Falcons were unable to get a shot off in traffic, and the Buckeyes eventually cleared.
• In the 64th minute, a long boot by goalkeeper Brendan Graves began another Falcon offensive foray. Masters flicked the ball toward Cusimano, who found Shope on the right side. Shope fired a shot as he entered the penalty area, but the ball was deflected wide of the far post. Off of a throw-in soon after, Anaya's shot from the top of the box got through several players, but McLaughlin was able to make the save.
• At exactly the midway point of the second half, Cusimano got his head on an Anaya corner kick, but the shot from the center of a crowded six-yard box went over the crossbar.
• With 15 minutes to go, Shope took a pass from Marko Rimac and hit a shot that went just wide of the far post.
• Four minutes later, Xavier Green hit a shot from the 18-yard line, but it was blocked by a BG defender, and the Falcons successfully dealt with the ensuing corner.
• But, just over a minute after that, Green went down in the penalty area and a PK was awarded. Laurence Wootton converted the kick to give the Buckeyes the lead.
• With under five minutes to go, Shope played a diagonal ball into the danger zone, and Terry got his head on the ball, but his shot went just high.
• Another offensive thrust, with less than two minutes remaining, saw a cross/shot by Shope go past several onrushing players and just wide of the far post.

STATS, NOTES & NUMBERS
• The match was played before a crowd of 2,924 fans at Cochrane Stadium.
• BGSU held slim advantages of 10-9 in total shot attempts and 4-3 in shots on goal. OSU had five corner kicks to BGSU's two.
• Brendan Graves has allowed just two goals (one, obviously, on a PK) in 270 minutes this season to date. He has a goals-against average of 0.67 in 2022.
• Freshman Andrew Shaffer made his collegiate debut in the match, playing seven minutes off the bench vs. the Buckeyes.
• The Falcons have a record of 36-22-8 over the last 66 matches, dating to late in the 2018 season. Fourteen of the 22 setbacks in that time have come by a single goal.

Gallery: (9-1-2022) MSOC v OSU - Sept. 1, 2022

UP NEXT
• BGSU continues a stretch of three-straight matches vs. Big Ten Conference opponents, facing Michigan in Ann Arbor on Monday (Sept. 5). That contest will begin at 2:00 p.m.
• Then, the Orange and Brown will return home to meet Michigan State on Friday, Sept. 9, with first touch set for 7:00 p.m.

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.