Broncos Escape Cochrane with a 1-0 Win

Tuesday, September 27

Bowling Green, Ohio

7:00 PM

Bowling Green State University

2-3-3, 0-1-0

RV Western Michigan

7-1-0, 2-0-0

Western Mich.

Bowling Green

Photo by: Mallory Hiser, BGSU Athletics

September 27, 2022 | Men's Soccer

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By: by Mike Cihon, BGSU Strategic Communications

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – One deflection proved to be the difference on Tuesday evening (Sept. 27), as Western Michigan University downed the Bowling Green State University men's soccer team by a 1-0 final. The Mid-American Conference matchup took place at Cochrane Stadium.

Eric Conerty scored the lone goal of the match in the 67th minute, as his shot from just outside the 18-yard box caromed off of the back of a BGSU defender and into the net.

The Broncos (7-1-0, 2-0-0 MAC) have now won seven consecutive matches, the last five by shutout. Hunter Morse made a pair of saves in goal for the visitors.

The Falcons (2-3-3, 0-1-0 MAC) outshot the Broncos, 9-4, on the night, but Morse made impressive saves on Sergi Martinez in the first half and Alberto Anaya in the second. And, Western had a 'team save' in the second half as well, after a BG indirect free kick inside the penalty area.

HIGHLIGHTS
• The first half featured only four total shots, and only one on frame. That shot came from Sergi Martinez in the ninth minute. Martinez took a pass from Kyle Cusimano and, as he headed from right to left at the top of the circle, the striker hit a left-footed blast. But, WMU goalkeeper Hunter Morse made an impressive diving save. Cusimano was first to the rebound near the right side of the six-yard box. He sent the ball across the goalmouth, but it went through the box untouched, and after a WMU foul, Morse grabbed an Alberto Anaya free kick out of the air.
• Just over 10 minutes into the second half, Nathan Masters made a nifty run into the box from the left side. Masters somehow worked the ball through and around four would-be defenders, but as he entered the penalty area, a Bronco backliner got a toe on the ball to knock it away from the Falcon junior and poke it toward Morse, who covered up.
• Midway through the period, the Broncos got what proved to be the winning goal. Western, at the top of the penalty area, moved the ball from left to right. Tanner Hodgson slid a pass into the path of Eric Conerty, who fired a hard right-footed shot. BGSU 'keeper Brendan Graves appeared to be in position to make the stop, but a Falcon defender stuck his foot out behind him in an attempt to block the shot, and the ball hit his back and caromed higher into the air. The deflected shot found the upper-left-hand corner of the net to five the Broncos the lead.
• With 17 minutes to go, the Falcons headed into the WMU end. Martinez was knocked off of the ball as it rolled across the 18-yard line, and a defender just barely beat Trace Terry to the ball, poking it toward Morse, who picked it up. However, the referee ruled that the ball had been passed back to the 'keeper, and awarded an indirect free kick to the Falcons. Shots by Joey Akpunonu and Martinez were blocked, and the ball went toward Kale Nichols near the far post. Nichols put a shot on frame, but a Bronco defender was able to block that shot off of the line for a 'team save.'
• The Broncos nearly doubled the lead with 11 minutes remaining. A cross from the left side actually glanced off of the crossbar. WMU's Charlie Sharp was near the far post and played the ball back across, but his cross/shot rolled through the goalmouth and out the other side.
• Just under four minutes remained when Anaya ran onto a Cusimano pass and fired a low shot through traffic from just outside the 18. But, Morse made a diving stop to keep the shot from heading into the far corner.

STATS, NOTES & NUMBERS
• The Falcons had a 9-4 advantage in total shot attempts, and BGSU put three shots on goal to the Broncos' one. Each team had three corner kicks.
• While BGSU more than doubled up the Broncos in the shots department, WMU returned the favor in the fouls category. Western had a 16-8 lead in fouls committed, and the Broncos were issued two yellow cards to BGSU's one.
• The Falcons now have a record of 38-23-10 over the last 71 matches, dating to late in the 2018 season. Fifteen of the 23 setbacks in that time have come by a single goal.

UP NEXT
• BGSU steps outside of Mid-American Conference play for one final time. The Falcons head to the nation's capital for a Saturday (Oct. 1) match vs. Georgetown, with first touch scheduled for 1:00 p.m.

• Then, the Falcons close the regular-season schedule with seven-straight MAC matchups, beginning with a home game vs. Akron on Thursday, Oct. 6.

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.