Late Gardner Goal Gives Falcons a 3-2, Come-From-Behind Win Over EMU

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BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – Brynn Gardner's goal with just 2:01 remaining lifted the Bowling Green State University women's soccer team to a 3-2, come-from-behind win over Eastern Michigan University on Sunday afternoon (Oct. 8). The Mid-American Conference thriller was held at Cochrane Stadium.

Ellie Pool had scored the tying goal early in the second half for the Falcons (7-4-1, 5-0-1 MAC), who remain in first-place in the 12-team conference.

Freshman Taylor Green's first collegiate goal gave the Orange and Brown the lead with less than three minutes gone, but the Eagles (1-7-6, 1-3-2 MAC) struck back with a pair of goals. Olivia Sipsock and Meagan Lukowski each scored before halftime to give the visitors the lead at the break. But, Gardner's through ball led to Pool's tying goal just past the hour mark, and Lizzie Bultynck found Gardner for the winner in the 88th minute.

The Falcons have won four consecutive matches, and BGSU is unbeaten in the last six contests dating to early September.

First career goal and a last minute game winner 🔥

Highlights from today's game! #AyZiggy pic.twitter.com/gjanxQqBx4
— BGSU Women's Soccer (@BGSU_WSoccer) October 8, 2023

HOW IT HAPPENED – GOALS, HIGHLIGHTS, ETC.
• The Falcons scored on the first shot of the match. BGSU won a corner kick, and Ellie Pool sent that kick into the center of the penalty area. The ball bounced once, and Taylor Green quickly knocked it past EMU goalkeeper Ella Holland and into the upper half of the net with just 2:49 elapsed.
• Only 20 seconds later, BGSU again had the ball deep in the EMU end of the field, but a shot by Maya Dean sailed just over the crossbar.
• In the 15th minute, Katie Cox picked up a loose ball near midfield and made a long run with the Falcons working 3v3. Cox slid the ball to Dean on her left, and Dean fired a quick shot, but Holland made the save at the near post.
• BGSU had the ball in the EMU end for much of the game's first half hour, but the Eagles scored on a counterattack in the 29th minute. Olivia Sipsock had the ball at midfield and played a pass to Meagan Lukowski. Lukowski sent the ball back to Sipsock, who fired a hard, dipping shot from outside the penalty area. The ball went just under the crossbar and in, tying the score.
• A trio of BGSU freshmen – Emma Stransky, Lizzie Bultynck and Christie Fransen – were involved in a pair of chances late in the first half. The first such chance saw Fransen's dangerous-looking cross grabbed by Holland, who immediately through the ball ahead to a teammate to begin another EMU counterattack. This time, Liliy Spotak found Lukowski, who hit a shot from distance that found the net and gave the visitors the lead with 3:34 left before halftime.
• With under two minutes remaining in the period, Stransky slid a ball out wide to Fransen, who hit a ball into the box from the right side. Bultynck got there before Holland, but Bultynck's hard shot went wide of the right post. The match went to halftime with BG owning a 14-3 lead in shots, but EMU holding a 2-1 lead on the scoreboard.
• Ten minutes into the second half, Lukowski took a pass from Kate Robinson and hit a hard shot that BGSU goalkeeper Madison Vukas tipped over the crossbar with a leaping effort. Then, off of the ensuing corner kick, Vukas made another stop as the ball stayed in the six-yard box for an uncomfortably long time (from a Falcon fan's perspective, at least).
• But, as the game passed the hour mark, the Falcons found the equalizer. Lexi Czerwien slid a ball forward to Brynn Gardner from near midfield. Gardner, with a defender shadowing her, quickly played a through ball to the charging Pool. Pool, past the EMU defense, took two touches before coolly slotting the ball past Holland to knot the score at 2-2.
• After EMU had seemingly controlled the beginning of the second half, the Falcons seemed to have the momentum in the latter stages of the match. BGSU took six shots to the visitors' two over the final 20 minutes. But, the game was still tied with under three minutes to go.
• BGSU took a free kick from near the Falcons' bench, but the ball was knocked back out of the EMU defensive zone. Jaden Frigerio beat Lukowski to the ball near midfield and hit a long ball toward Bultynck. Bultynck split a pair of defenders as they all headed toward the penalty area, and the Falcon freshman chested the ball down and slid a pass to a wide-open Brynn Gardner, who knocked it into the net with 2:01 remaining.

STATS, NOTES & NUMBERS
• The Falcons had advantages of 24-8 in total shot attempts, 13-5 in shots on goal and 4-3 in corner kicks. Ella Holland made 10 saves for the Eagles.
• For the Falcons, Lili Berg had one save in the first half, with Madison Vukas working a scoreless second half and making two saves.
• Prior to Thursday's game at Miami, the Falcons had not scored more than two goals in a match this season. But, BGSU has now found the back of the net three times in back-to-back contests, downing both the RedHawks and Eagles by 3-2 scores.

UP NEXT
• The Falcons will be back at Cochrane on Thursday (Oct. 12), facing Kent State next Thursday (Oct. 12) in a 7:00 p.m. start.

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.

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