#18 MSU Surges Past 10-Man Falcons

Friday, October 27

Bowling Green, Ohio

7 p.m.

Bowling Green State University

7-6-3, 4-3-0

Missouri State

9-2-3, 5-1-1

Missouri St.

Bowling Green

October 27, 2023 | Men's Soccer

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Bears Score Three Unanswered Goals After BGSU Goes a Man Down

By: by Mike Cihon, BGSU Strategic Communications

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – Nationally-ranked Missouri State University scored three unanswered second-half goals after the Bowling Green State University men's soccer team went down a man Friday night (Oct. 27). The Bears went on to a 5-2 win over the Falcons in Missouri Valley Conference action at Cochrane Stadium.

Alberto Anaya and Bennett Painter each had a goal and an assist for the Falcons (7-6-3, 4-3-0 MVC), who sit in fourth place in the nine-team league heading into the final match of the regular season.

The loss snapped BGSU's 10-match home unbeaten streak, dating to September of 2022.

After the Bears, ranked 18th in the nation, took a two-goal lead with just 15 minutes gone, Anaya scored a first-half goal, and Painter tied the score in the 55th minute off of an Anaya free kick.

But, a red card on the Falcons just over a minute after the tying goal turned the tide, and the Bears scored back-to-back goals just 1:33 apart to take control.

Five different players scored goals for the Bears, with Jesus Barea leading the way with a goal and two assists.

At the time the red card was given, the Falcons had a 7-6 lead in shots for the game, and had taken the only two shots (scoring on one of those shots) of the second half. But, the Bears had a 14-0 lead in shots over the remainder of the match while playing 11v10.

BGSU clinched a berth in the MVC Tournament with Sunday's (Oct. 22) win at Drake. The Falcons end the regular season with a match at Northern Illinois on Wednesday (Nov. 1), and can clinch a quarterfinal-round home game with a win or a tie vs. the Huskies.

Even with a loss at NIU, BGSU still has a chance at a top-four seed and a quarterfinal game at Cochrane, depending upon other outcomes around the conference on Wednesday.

NOTE OF THE NIGHT
• Junior Alberto Anaya scored a goal in his fourth consecutive match. That marks the longest streak by a Falcon in over 18 years, since Omari Aldridge found the back of the net in five-straight contests from Sept. 18 to Oct. 2, 2005.

HIGHLIGHTS
• The visitors, who were coming off of a loss that snapped a 29-match MVC unbeaten streak, got on the scoreboard just over five minutes into the match. Daniel Normann crossed the ball into the box from the right side, where it found the head of Jesus Barea on the far side of the goal. Barea headed the ball on frame, and Brandon Graves was able to get a hand on the shot as he made a headlong dive across the goalmouth. But, with Graves on the ground, Gijs Hovius was first to the rebound, poking it into the net just before the Falcon 'keeper could get back to the ball.
• Less than a minute after the goal, Jake Bergin played the ball into the MSU 18-yard box. First Kyle Cusimano, then Trace Terry got a head on the ball, before an MSU defender nodded it toward the 18-yard line. Kyle Blasingame volleyed the ball out of the air, but his shot went just wide of the right goalpost.
• Fifteen minutes in, the visitors doubled the lead. Barea was fouled after taking a pass from Pedro Arcoverde in the penalty area, and Barea stepped up and scored on the ensuing PK at the 15:02 mark.
• But, just over two minutes later, the hosts cut the deficit in half. MSU goalkeeper Harry Townsend made a heavy first touch after receiving a pass from a teammate. Townsend attempted to clear the ball away, but Trace Terry deflected it to Bennett Painter, who quickly played it to Alberto Anaya. With Townsend out of position, Anaya chipped the ball from just outside the 18-yard line. Townsend could not get back in time as the ball floated just past his outstretched arm and into the net.
• With just over a minute remaining in the half, Terry played a ball to Nathan Masters after the Falcons gained possession near midfield. Masters, playing in the final home regular-season game of his career, hit a hard shot from distance, but the ball went just over the bar, and the Bears took a 1-0 lead into the intermission.
• Eight minutes into the second half, the Falcons were able to string together numerous passes after a throw-in deep in their own end. Mads Christensen, Kyle Cusimano, Anaya and Andrew Shaffer all were involved. Terry took a pass from Shaffer and slid the ball to Bergin. Bergin laid it back off for Terry, who hit a hard, curving shot from outside the box that only stayed out of the net due to an impressive diving save from Townsend.
• Several minutes later, the Falcons tied the score. After Anaya was fouled approximately 35 yards from goal, the junior played the ensuing free kick. He hit a diagonal ball into the box, where Painter ran onto it. The freshman hit it out of the air and placed his shot into the lower-right-hand corner, knotting the score in the 55th minute.
• But, just over one minute later, a red card reduced the Falcons to 10 men, and the visitors would take advantage.
• The go-ahead goal came in the 65th minute, as a left-side pass by Barea resulted in a goal from Alejandro Lopez, who hit a shot across his body and into the far corner of the goal.
• And, the visitors made it 4-2 when Ollie Bate came up with a steal deep in the BG end and quickly knocked a shot into the net.
• Jack Denton capped the scoring on a nice passing sequence, converting off of a Pablo Guillen pass.

STATS, NOTES & NUMBERS
• The Bears had advantages of 20-7 in total shots and 10-4 in shots on goal. Brendan Graves made five saves for the Falcons, while Harry Townsend had two stops for MSU.
• Each team had three corner kicks.
• With a three-point night, Alberto Anaya now has 16 points on the year, on four goals and six assists.
• Trace Terry, who had an assist vs. MSU, has those identical numbers – 16 points on four goals and six assists. Anaya and Terry are tied for the team lead in goals, assists and points (Eli Shope also has four goals this fall).
• Freshman Bennett Painter has been involved in the scoring of each of the Falcons' last four goals. Painter now has three goals and an assist this year, with all seven points coming in the last two games.
• BGSU lost for the first time at home this season, and the Falcons saw a 10-match home unbeaten streak come to an end. BG is now 6-1-1 at Cochrane in 2023.
• Friday night marks BG's first loss at home in exactly 13 months, since a 1-0 setback to Western Michigan on Sept. 27, 2022.

AROUND THE MVC – FRIDAY'S RESULTS
Missouri State 5, at Bowling Green 2
at Western Michigan 5, Belmont 0
at UIC 2, Northern Illinois 0
Drake 1, at Michigan State 1
at Evansville 1, Bradley 0

UPDATED MVC STANDINGS
School (Overall) MVC Pts.
1. Western Mich. (12-1-3) 6-0-1 19
2. Missouri State (9-2-3) 5-1-1 16
3. UIC (9-4-3) 4-2-2 14
4. Bowling Green (7-6-3)   4-3-0 12
5. Belmont (8-6-2) 3-4-0   9
6. Northern Ill. (5-8-1)   2-4-1   7
Evansville (4-8-3) 2-4-1   7
8. Bradley (5-5-6) 1-5-1   4
Drake (3-9-3) 1-5-1   4

(three points for a win, one for a tie – top-6 teams make the MVC Tournament – BG can finish anywhere from third to fifth)

UP NEXT
• The Falcons will wrap up the regular-season slate with a match at Northern Illinois on Wednesday (Nov. 1). That contest will begin at 8:00 p.m. ET in DeKalb.

• The Falcons then will play a quarterfinal-round match in the MVC Tournament. That game will be held on Sunday, Nov. 5, with opponent, site and start time to be determined.

REMAINING REGULAR-SEASON SCHEDULE
Wed., Nov. 1 – at Northern Illinois, 8:00 p.m. ET

FOR MORE INFORMATION...
• For more information on the BGSU men's soccer program, follow the Falcons on Twitter/X (@BGSU_Athletics and @BGSUMSoccer), Instagram (bgfalcons and bgsumsoccer) and Facebook (BGMensSoccer) as well as on the web right here at BGSUFalcons.com.