Falcons Battle U-M to a Scoreless Draw on the Road

Monday, September 5

Ann Arbor, Mich.

2:00 PM

Bowling Green State University

0-2-2, 0-0-0

Michigan

1-2-1, 0-0-0

Bowling Green

Michigan

Photo by: Mallory Hiser, BGSU Athletics

September 05, 2022 | Men's Soccer

Box Score BGSU-Michigan Stats Photo Gallery

BGSU outshoots Wolverines, 15-5; Graves, Falcons keep second clean sheet of season

By: by Mike Cihon, BGSU Strategic Communications

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The Bowling Green State University men's soccer team controlled all facets of Monday's (Sept. 5) match against the University of Michigan, but in the end, the Falcons and Wolverines played to a scoreless draw. The non-conference matchup took place at U-M Soccer Stadium

The Falcons (now 0-2-2 on the season) tripled up the Wolverines in the shot department in each half, winding up with a 15-5 advantage. BGSU had a 6-1 lead in shots on goal, as Brendan Graves was forced to make just one save on the afternoon.

Graves kept his second clean sheet in four matches this season, and the shutout was his fourth in 11 career starts.

QUOTING COACH ERIC NICHOLS
"I am proud of how we played, how we competed and the brand of soccer we played today. But, there's also some frustration and disappointment. I'm not disappointed in the guys at all, but I'm disappointed for them. They're crushed that they didn't get a result here today. They did everything I asked except for putting the ball into the net. Our goals are gonna come, and we're doing everything else right. I have a lot of pride in what we did here today."

HIGHLIGHTS
• The Falcons were on the front foot early, firing a pair of shots within the game's first 30 seconds. An effort by Kyle Cusimano was blocked in the box, and Alberto Anaya's follow-up try was saved by U-M goalkeeper Hayden Evans and went out for a corner kick.
• BG had three scoring chances in a span of under five minutes. Cusimano played a low cross into the box, but Nathan Masters saw his effort blocked as he looked to fire a shot near the six-yard line. Then, an Eli Shope cross went through to the far side of the box, where Kale Nichols fired a shot that Evans grabbed at the near post. BGSU won the ball right back, and Shope's low shot from distance forced the U-M 'keeper into a diving save in the 17th minute.
• After a Michigan giveaway, Nichols found Marko Rimac with a pass, and Rimac won a corner kick. Anaya's corner led to a chance in the box, but a Sergi Martinez shot was off the mark.
• Cusimano was taken down just to the right of the 18-yard box in the 34th minute, and a Martinez free kick was blocked out for a corner. Off of that corner, Josh Erlandson hit a hard shot from just outside the box, but a defender was able to block it.
• Late in the period, after BGSU had controlled the play for nearly the entire match, the hosts had a chance at the other end. Off of a corner kick, Erlandson first knocked a diagonal ball out of the box, then blocked a Wolverine shot attempt.
• The Wolverines' lone shot on goal of the match came off the boot of Derick Broche in the first minute of the second half, but Graves grabbed the hard shot on the short hop.
• Martinez blasted a turnaround shot in the 53rd minute, forcing Evans into a diving stop.
• Six minutes later, Nichols was fouled after he got behind the defense and received a long pass from Joey Akpunono. A yellow card was issued to the U-M defender who had hauled Nichols down, but Anaya's free kick sailed wide of the left post.
• Graves came forward to play a ball from midfield. Akpunonu got his head on it near the 18, nodding it into the path of the onrushing Masters. Masters struck the ball well, but his one-timer rolled wide of the near post.
• Midway through the half, Rimac's cross from the right side was deflected into the air, caroming toward the far post. Nichols got to the ball with a sliding effort, but his shot sailed high.
• As the clock ticked under 20 minutes, U-M had a dangerous-looking counterattack that culminated with a low cross, but Akpunonu slid in front of a Michigan attacker to poke the ball wide of the far post and over the end line. That began a stretch in which the Wolverines had the momentum for several minutes, but the Falcons would seize it back.
• With just over 11 minutes to go, a diagonal ball by Shope found Cusimano in the penalty area with his back to goal. Cusimano settled the ball and laid it off for Trace Terry in traffic. Terry hit a quick shot that was blocked in the box and rolled agonizingly close to the post.
• Cusimano took a throw-in near the corner of the field with 10 minutes remaining. Akpunonu got his head on the long throw near the corner of the six-yard box, and put the shot on frame, but Evans was able to grab it.
• After a BGSU corner, a diagonal ball by Erlandson went through the center of the box, found its way through and went just wide of the far post.
• With seven minutes remaining, Jensen Lukacsko served the ball into the box from the right side. Cusimano headed it back across the six-yard line, but his header was just a little too high for Terry to reach.
• Ninety seconds later, an Anaya corner kick went through the goalmouth to Nichols, but his shot was saved at the far post. U-M immediately looked to mount a counterattack, but Akpunonu headed a short pass out of the box.
• In the 87th minute, Martinez hit a hard shot that was blocked in the box, and Nichols also had a shot blocked before the Falcon flurry was finished.
• Michigan won a corner with under a minute to go. BGSU cleared the ball and looked to mount a counterattack of their own. Anaya was fouled and the Wolverines were issued a yellow card with just 14 seconds left, but a foul was called on the Falcons just after the ensuing free kick, and the final seconds ticked away.

Gallery: (9-5-2022) MSOC at Michigan - Sept 5 2022 - Hiser

STATS, NOTES & NUMBERS
• The Falcons, as mentioned, had advantages of 15-5 in total shot attempts and 6-1 in shots on goal. Brendan Graves made one save as the Falcon defense kept a clean sheet for the second time in four matches this season.
• Graves has allowed just two goals in those four contests, with one coming on a penalty kick. He has 10 saves and a GAA of just 0.50 this year to date.
• The Falcons have a record of 36-22-9 over the last 67 matches, dating to late in the 2018 season. Fourteen of the 22 setbacks in that time have come by a single goal.

UP NEXT
• BGSU concludes a stretch of three-straight matches vs. Big Ten Conference opponents on Friday night (Sept. 9), when Michigan State comes to Cochrane Stadium. First touch is set for 7:00 p.m., and admission is free.

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.