'Battle of I-75' Ends in a 2-2 Draw

Thursday, September 22

Bowling Green, Ohio

7:00 PM

Bowling Green State University

2-3-2, 0-0-1

Toledo

1-4-3, 0-0-1

Toledo

Bowling Green

Brynn Gardner had a goal (pictured) & an assist vs. the Rockets

Photo by: Morgan Holscher, BGSU Athletics

September 22, 2022 | Women's Soccer

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By: by Mike Cihon, BGSU Strategic Communications

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – The Bowling Green State University women's soccer team battled the University of Toledo to a 2-2 draw on Thursday night (Sept. 22). The match, the Mid-American Conference opener for both teams, was held at Cochrane Stadium.

Freshman Brynn Gardner had a goal and an assist in her first 'Battle of I-75,' while senior Kennedy White scored the Falcons' other goal.

The Falcons (now 2-3-2 overall) held lopsided advantages in most of the key statistical categories, but the Rockets (1-4-3) twice took a one-goal lead. UT got a Morgan Otteson goal to take a 1-0 lead into the half.

White knotted the score just past the hour mark, but UT's Mia Leonetti gave her team the lead just over three minutes later. Gardner's nifty individual effort led to the tying goal in the 79th minute.

The Falcons outshot the visitors by a 26-9 count, and BGSU had advantages of 9-4 in shots on goal and 8-2 in corner kicks.

Lili Berg made two saves in goal for the hosts, while UT's Karson Hill had seven stops on the night.

HIGHLIGHTS
• The Falcons appeared to have taken the lead with 15 minutes gone. Katie Cox crossed the ball into the box from the right side. Kennedy White got a touch on the ball, and it bounced off of a Toledo defender and headed toward the goalmouth. Ellie Pool lunged and poked the ball past Karson Hill just as the UT 'keeper looked to grab it, but as the Falcons celebrated, a foul was called and the goal was nullified.
• The Rockets took the lead, against the run of play, in the 28th minute. After a BG foul in the UT end of the field, a long free kick sailed toward the BGSU penalty area. Madison Medalle got her head on the ball, and Morgan Otteson took a touch as she moved across the top of the box from left to right. She fired a shot that was just out of both the lunging effort of a Falcon defender and the diving attempt of goalkeeper Lili Berg, and the visitors had a 1-0 lead.
• White would even the score in the 61st minute. Brynn Gardner took a pass from Maya Dean and battled a defender on the right side of the penalty area. Gardner slid a cross into the box, and White flicked it past Hill and into the net with a nifty backheel effort.
• But, just over three minutes later, UT took the lead once again. Off of a corner kick, Madalle slid the ball back out toward Emily Mann, who had taken the corner. Mann quickly played the ball into the six-yard box, and Mia Leonetti redirected it into the net.
• But, the Falcons equalized with 11:36 to go. Alaina Uncapher played a long ball ahead, where Brynn Gardner was a step or two behind UT defender Rylee Michaels. Gardner caught up to Michaels and the ball, and as the two battled for position as they entered the penalty area, Gardner muscled past her Rocket foe and fired a low shot past Hill.
• The Falcons fired the final three shot attempts of the match, and Makenzie Ortman put a shot on frame in the final minute of play, but Hill saved that shot and the match ended in a draw.

Gallery: (9-22-2022) WSOC v UT (Sept. 22) - Morgan Holscher

STATS, NOTES & NUMBERS
• Kennedy White's goal was her fourth of the season. She leads the Falcons in both goals and points (eight).
• Brynn Gardner now has six points on the season, with two goals and two assists.
• BGSU now has an overall record of 60-29-13 since the start of the 2017 season. And, since the beginning of the 2018 campaign, the Falcons are now 47-22-12.

UP NEXT
• The Falcons hit the road for the next two matches, beginning with a Sunday (Sept. 25) contest at Western Michigan. First touch is set for 1:00 p.m. at the WMU Soccer Complex.
• Then, the Orange and Brown will travel to face Central Michigan next Thursday night (Sept. 29) before returning home to meet Ball State three days later (Sunday, Oct. 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 at BGSUFalcons.com