Behind Brynn's Brace, BGSU Beats BSU

Sunday, October 22

Muncie, Ind.

2 p.m.

Bowling Green State University

9-5-2, 7-1-2

Ball State

7-7-3, 5-2-3

Bowling Green

Ball St.

Photo by: Bobby Ellis, Ball State Athletics

October 22, 2023 | Women's Soccer

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Sophomore striker scores winning goal with just 28 seconds left as Falcons win, 2-1

By: by Mike Cihon, BGSU Strategic Communications

MUNCIE, Ind. – Sophomore Brynn Gardner scored with just 28 seconds left in the game, lifting the Bowling Green State University women's soccer team to a 2-1 win over Ball State University Sunday afternoon (Oct. 22). The Mid-American Conference thriller took place at the Briner Sports Complex.

Gardner scored both goals for the Falcons (9-5-2, 7-1-2 MAC), who remain in second place in the conference standings with just one game to go. The Cardinals (7-7-3, 5-2-3 MAC), who entered the week undefeated in the MAC, lost in the final minute of the match for the second-straight contest.

BGSU trails league-leading Western Michigan by just one point entering the final day of the regular season.

Ellie Pool had the primary assist on both Falcon goals on Sunday. Brynn's older sister, Emilie Gardner, also had an assist on the latter goal, as her free kick began the game-winning sequence.

Pool and Brynn Gardner teamed up for the game's first goal with just under 18 minutes gone. Pool's pass sent Gardner past the last line of defense on the right side of the field, and the sophomore rounded BSU goalkeeper Bethany Moser and slid the ball into the open net.

But, the Cardinals equalized as the match neared the half-hour mark, as Emily Roper scored on a header off of Alex McPhee's free kick into the box.

The match remained 1-1 for the next 60-plus minutes, but with under a minute remaining in the match, Katie Cox was fouled near midfield. Emilie Gardner took the ensuing free kick, playing a long ball forward into the penalty area. The ball bounced once before Pool headed it toward goal. Brynn Gardner ran onto it, took a touch and almost immediately poked it past Moser and just inside the right post.

The Falcons had advantages of 15-4 in total shots and 11-3 in shots on goal. Lili Berg and Madison Vukas each played 45 minutes and each made one save in the win. Moser had nine stops for the Cardinals.

Ball State had been undefeated at home in 2023 prior to falling to the Falcons. The Cardinals had not lost at the Briner Sports Complex since Oct. 9, 2022.

STATS, NOTES & NUMBERS
• The Falcons had a 15-4 advantage in total shot attempts, an 11-3 lead in shots on goal and a 6-2 edge in corner kicks.
• Lili Berg and Madison Vukas each made one save as they split time in goal for the 16th consecutive game. Bethany Moser made nine saves for the Cardinals.
• After scoring two goals on Sunday, Brynn Gardner now has a team-leading six this season, matching her total from her freshman year.
• Gardner now has 16 points this year, and she has scored 35 career points in 34 games at BGSU. She has three game-winning goals this season and four in her BG career.
• Emilie Gardner now has three career points, all on assists. All three assists have come this week. She assisted on BGSU's first two goals in Thursday's 5-1 win over Central Michigan.
• Emilie Gardner, a defender, recorded her first career shot on goal Thursday vs. CMU, and posted her second SOG Sunday at BSU.
• Ellie Pool had the primary assist on both BGSU goals Sunday. Pool is second on the team with 13 points, and she leads the team with five assists.
• Pool's two-assist game was her first as a Falcon and the second of her collegiate career. While at Toledo, she had a pair of assists against Northern Illinois in March of 2021.
• Pool now has career totals of 11 assists and 39 points in 54 total matches with the Rockets and Falcons combined. She played 27 matches with UT, and now has played 27 contests with BGSU.

AROUND THE MAC – SUNDAY'S RESULTS
Bowling Green 2, at Ball State 1
Miami 2, at Akron 0
Kent State 4, at Toledo 1
at Ohio 1, Eastern Michigan 0
Northern Illinois 1, at Central Michigan 0
at Western Michigan 4, Buffalo 1

UPDATED MAC STANDINGS
School (Overall) MAC Pts.
1. Western Mich. (11-3-3) 7-0-3 24
2. Bowling Green (9-5-2) 7-1-2 23
3. Northern Ill. (8-6-3) 6-3-1 19
4. Ball State (7-7-3) 5-2-3 18
   Kent State (9-6-2) 6-4-0 18
6. Buffalo (7-4-6) 4-3-3 15
7. Toledo (7-8-2) 4-5-1 13
8. Miami (7-10-1) 4-6-0 12
   Ohio (5-7-5) 3-4-3 12
10. Central Mich. (2-7-6) 1-6-3   6
11. Eastern Mich. (1-11-6) 1-7-2   5
12. Akron (3-13-1) 1-8-1   4

UP NEXT
• BGSU wraps up the regular-season schedule on Thursday afternoon (Oct. 26), facing Northern Illinois in a 3:00 p.m. start at Cochrane. The Huskies, after starting the MAC schedule with a record of 0-2-1, have won six of the last seven games. NIU has won four-straight road games.

• Following the NIU matchup, the Falcons' next contest will be in the MAC Tournament's semifinal round, with site and opponent to be determined, on Thursday, Nov. 2.

REMAINING REGULAR-SEASON SCHEDULE
Thursday, Oct. 26 – NORTHERN ILLINOIS, 3:00 p.m.

FOR MORE INFORMATION...
• For more information on the women's soccer program, follow the Falcons on Twitter/X (@BGSU_Athletics and @BGSU_WSoccer), Instagram (bgsu_wsoccer) and Facebook (bgsuwsoc) as well as on the web right here at BGSUFalcons.com.