Falcons See Season Come to an End in MVC Tournament

Sunday, November 5

Bowling Green, Ohio

6 p.m.

Bowling Green State University

7-8-3, 4-4-0

Northern Illinois (Quarterfinals)

7-8-1, 3-4-1

NIU

Bowling Green

Fifth-year Falcon Nathan Masters had an assist in his final collegiate match

Photo by: Keira Ellenberger, Falcon Media Sports Network

November 05, 2023 | Men's Soccer

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NIU tops BGSU, 2-1, Sunday night at Cochrane

By: by Mike Cihon, BGSU Strategic Communications

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – The Bowling Green State University men's soccer team saw the 2023 season come to a close Sunday night (Nov. 5), as Northern Illinois University downed the Falcons, 2-1, in a Missouri Valley Conference Tournament quarterfinal-round match at Cochrane Stadium.

The Falcons (7-8-3) controlled play for much of the night, with 24 shot attempts, including a season-high 12 shots on goal. But, Jakub Rojek made 11 saves for the Huskies (7-8-1), including a diving stop of a penalty kick in the first half.

After the teams went to halftime locked in a scoreless draw, the visitors drew first blood on a counterattack in the 57th minute, with Kevin Kelly sliding a cross to Diego Maynez in front of goal for a tap-in.

The Huskies doubled the lead just over six minutes later on a goal by Camilo Estrada.

BGSU got a goal back when Kyle Cusimano headed home a Bennett Painter cross with just under 10 minutes to go. And, the Falcons put two more shots on frame after that, but could not find the equalizer.

Brendan Graves made five saves on the night, and fifth-year Falcon Nathan Masters had an assist in his final collegiate game.

Gallery: (11-5-2023) 110523 msoc v NIU - Kiera Ellenberger

HIGHLIGHTS
• In the 12th minute of the match, Nathan Masters made a run to the end line and crossed a ball back toward the center of the penalty area. The pass was deflected by an NIU player, and Trace Terry was tripped as he went for the ball. But, the ensuing Alberto Anaya penalty kick was stopped by Huskie goalkeeper Jakub Rojek, who guessed correctly and parried the shot with a headlong dive.
• Midway through the first half, some nifty passing resulted in a chance for the Falcons. Gus Peacock played a ball toward the center of the field, where Jake Bergin headed it into the box. Terry's flick-on found Andrew Shaffer, who volleyed a shot out of the air with a pair of defenders blanketing him. But, the shot went over the bar.
• Less than a minute later, Anaya was flattened by a would-be defender just outside of the penalty area. He tapped the ensuing free kick to Masters, who hit a hard shot that whizzed just over the bar.
• With six minutes remaining before halftime, Anaya took a Kyle Cusimano pass and hit a diagonal ball into the box. Terry got a head on it, but Rojek parried the shot.
• Just under three minutes remained when Jake Lane took an Anaya pass, made a run into the box and hit a hard shot that looked to be headed toward the far corner of the net, but was blocked by NIU's Jakub Drazek. NIU was able to successfully defend the ensuing corner kick.
• In the opening minutes of the second half, the Falcons got shots from both Anaya and Shaffer. Both shots were on frame, but both were hit at Rojek.
• Eight minutes after halftime, Terry and Bergin combined to steal the ball near midfield. Bergin headed forward and played a ball to the onrushing Terry on his left. Terry entered the penalty area and hit a shot on goal, but Rojek was able to make the stop.
• The Huskies got on the board against the run of play. A BG player slipped and fell near midfield, losing possession. The visitors went forward, and Kevin Kelly took a pass on the left side and slid a cross toward Diego Maynez in the center of the penalty area. Maynez was able to redirect it into the net to give the Huskies a 1-0 lead.
• With almost exactly 30 minutes to go, Shafter played a ball into the box. Cusimano got a head on it, and the ball went to Terry, who headed it back toward Cusimano. Cusimano responded with a diving header, but Rojek kept that hard shot from going over the line.
• The visitors doubled the lead in the 63rd minute. Zachariah Thomas hit a diagonal ball toward the left side of the penalty area, where Patrick Coleman raced past a BG defender and was first to the ball. Brendan Graves was forced to come off of his line, but Coleman slid a pass to Camilo Estrada, who scored from the top of the box.
• With 20 minutes to go, Cusimano put another header on goal, this time off of an Anaya corner kick, but Rojek was able to make the save once again.
• Less than a minute later, the Falcons attempted to clear a ball out of their own end, but a long header by a Huskie from near midfield put Sam Divis behind the defense. Divis attempted to poke the bouncing ball past Graves, but the charging Falcon 'keeper made an impressive save, blocking the shot near the top of the 18.
• Just over a minute after that, Estrada got behind the BG defense and hit a shot from near the 18-yard line, but Graves made a diving save, tipping the ball wide of goal.
• Over the next few minutes, Terry headed a throw-in on frame, Bennett Painter got his head on a Peacock free kick to nod it toward the goal, and Lane had an effort blocked near the top of the 18. BG finally broke through with just under 10 minutes to go.
• Peacock hit a long ball forward from midfield, and a Masters flick-on sent it to Painter. Painter cut the ball back and hit a cross from the left side of the penalty area, and Cusimano, stationed near the far post, headed the ball back across and into the left side of the net with 9:50 on the clock.
• Two minutes later, an outlet pass by Graves began a BG rush toward the other end. The sequence saw Painter cross the ball from the right side and Terry redirect it on goal, but Rojek made the stop.
• Graves made a save on Divis with six minutes remaining to keep it a one-goal game. Then, with under three minutes to go, Masters passed the ball to Painter at the top of the box. Painter volleyed the bouncing ball, but the hard shot was hit directly at Rojek, who gratefully made his 11th save of the night.

STATS, NOTES & NUMBERS
• The Falcons had advantages of 24-14 in total shot attempts and 12-7 in shots on goal. BGSU posted a season-high total in shots on goal, while the 24 overall shots ranks as the Falcons' second-highest total of the season.
• Jacob Rojek, as mentioned, made 11 saves for the Huskies, while Brendan Graves had five stops for the Falcons.
• Kyle Cusimano's goal was his third of the season and the eighth of his BGSU career. He now has 27 career points.
• After recording an assist on Sunday night, Nathan Masters also has a total of 27 career points as a Falcon.
• Masters played in a total of 75 matches as a Falcon, making 64 career starts.

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.