Pool's Early Goal Lifts Falcons to 2-0 Win at Toledo

Thursday, September 21

Toledo, Ohio

7 p.m.

Bowling Green State University

3-4-0, 1-0-0

Toledo

3-4-1, 0-1-0

Bowling Green

Toledo

Photo by: Mallory Hiser, BGSU Athletics

September 21, 2023 | Women's Soccer, The Battle Of I-75

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Falcon senior scores against her former club as BG wins MAC opener

By: by Mike Cihon, BGSU Strategic Communications

TOLEDO, Ohio – Ellie Pool scored just over two minutes into the match to set the tone as the Bowling Green State University women's soccer team topped the University of Toledo, 2-0, on Thursday night (Sept. 21). The match, the Mid-American Conference opener for both teams, was held at Paul Hotmer Field.

Brynn Gardner also scored for the Falcons (3-4-0, 1-0-0 MAC), converting a second-half penalty kick to double the BGSU lead.

Pool, in her second year with the Falcons after transferring from Toledo, knocked home the game-winning goal with just over two minutes gone. Gardner's cross was blocked by a UT defender, but Maya Dean deflected the ball to Pool, who hit a half volley from the six-yard line for what proved to be the winning goal.

Gardner found the back of the net herself, knocking home a penalty kick after freshman Emma Stransky was fouled by UT goalkeeper Brielle Young in the penalty area. Gardner made no mistake on her PK, slotting the ball into the corner in the 63rd minute.

Madison Vukas and Lili Berg shared the shutout in goal, with Vukas making two first-half saves while Berg made one stop in the second period. Young had five saves for the Rockets (3-4-1, 0-1-0 MAC).

📹HIGHLIGHTS!📹

Some of the sights & sounds from last night's MAC-opening win at Toledo...#AyZiggy | 🟠⚽️🟤 pic.twitter.com/SAHNNB8cqL
— BGSU Women's Soccer (@BGSU_WSoccer) September 22, 2023

HOW IT HAPPENED
• The Falcons, as mentioned, scored with just over two minutes gone. Brynn Gardner's right-side cross was deflected by a Rocket defender. But, Maya Dean got her body in front of the ball to knock it into the path of Ellie Pool. Pool, standing on the six-yard line, waited for the ball to bounce, then hit a half-volley past UT goalkeeper Brielle Young. As it turned out, that goal would be all the Falcons would need.
• Just over eight minutes in, Toledo's Brooklyn Whitehead slid a ball toward Olivia Dault from the right side. Dault, stationed near the six-yard line with a BG defender shadowing her, was able to redirect the ball toward goal with a backheel, but Falcon 'keeper Madison Vukas went to the ground to grab the ball.
• Midway through the half, Dean stole the ball and slid a pass ahead to Pool, who in turn laid the ball into the path of Katie Cox. Cox hit a shot from distance, but the ball went over the goal.
• Three minutes later, a Cox shot was blocked, but Taylor Green put the ball back into the penalty area. A UT defender deflected Green's serve, and Pool raced behind the defense, nearly getting a boot on the ball with a lunging effort. But, the ball was grabbed by Young.
• Twelve minutes remained in the half when Isabelle Gilmore played a long ball ahead to Dean on the left side. Dean slid a pass to Pool, who took a touch, then blasted a shot from the 18-yard line that forced Young to make a spectacular save. The UT 'keeper got a hand on the ball with a leaping effort, deflecting the shot off of the crossbar and back out of the penalty area.
• Dault hit a turnaround shot, but it was hit right at Vukas, who easily made the save with 10:50 on the clock.
• With just under six minutes to go, Jayna Searles took a pass from Emme Butera. Searles made a nifty move to elude a UT player, then fired a shot that went just over the target.
• The Falcons made a foray into the UT end in the final minute of the half. The Rockets struggled to clear the ball out of their defensive third, and Young was forced to punch away a diagonal ball by Lacee Bethea before the hosts finally advanced the ball toward midfield in the final seconds of the period.
• Less than two minutes into the second half, Bethea beat her would-be defender on the left side, taking the ball toward the end line. As both players vied for the ball, the UT player got her boot on Bethea's low cross, knocking it into the goalmouth where Young was able to dive on it.
• On a counterattack by the Rockets, Madison Medalle fired a shot that was blocked. Grace Turski's follow-up try from distance was saved by Lili Berg.
• A foul on the Falcons in the 56th minute gave the Rockets a free kick just outside the penalty area. That free kick was blocked by Christine Erdman in the wall. The deflection rolled toward the goal, where Berg grabbed it before Whitehead could arrive, and the assistant referee's flag was already up as Whitehead had been offside.
• At the hour mark, Makenzie Ortman stole the ball near midfield and played it ahead to Emma Stransky. Stransky hit a left-side cross, but Young was able to grab the ball before Lizzie Bultynck could get to it.
• Just over 90 seconds later, Erdman came up with a steal, made a long run and fired a shot, but that shot went just high.
• But, BGSU would soon double the lead. Brynn Gardner played a ball forward toward Stransky. UT defender McKanna Schultz beat Stransky to the ball on the right side of the penalty area, but as Schultz took a touch, Stransky collided with Young, and a penalty kick was awarded. Gardner knocked that PK home to give the visitors a 2-0 lead.
• In the 65th minute, Audrey Oliver was fouled, and Gilmore's free kick from distance rang off the crossbar – the second time BGSU had hit the woodwork in the match.
•Off of a UT free kick several minutes later, the ball bounced around the penalty area before Medalle hit a shot. That effort was blocked by Jaden Frigerio, and as the ensuing corner kick sailed toward the six-yard box, the Rockets were called for a foul against Berg.
• With nine minutes on the clock, Dean and Pool worked a combination play, and Pool took the return pass and played a through ball to Bultynck. Bultynck put a shot toward the far post, but Young made a diving stop.
• The Rockets had one more shot attempt on the night, but Dault's effort sailed high, and BGSU closed out the match to secure the shutout.

NCAA Womens ⚽️ @MACSports @BGSU_WSoccer 2@ToledoSoccer 0
Final

Falcons strike quickly & don't look back...

Bowling Green extends their unbeaten streak against UT to five games, thanks in part to goals from Ellie Pool (Sr.) & Brynn Gardner (So.) pic.twitter.com/Hq2972Cf6e
— H. Tyler Seggerman (@TylerSeggerman) September 22, 2023

STATS, NOTES & NUMBERS
• The Falcons had advantages of 13-8 in total shot attempts and 7-3 in shots on goal. Madison Vukas and Lili Berg combined to make three saves en route to the shutout, while Brielle Young had five stops for the Rockets.
• BGSU had a slim 2-1 lead in corner kicks.
• Ellie Pool's goal was her second of the season, and she now has a team-high five points on the year.
• Both of Pool's goals this fall have been game-winning goals. She also scored the winning goal in BG's victory at Detroit Mercy.
• In her BGSU career, Pool now has totals of 12 goals and 31 points. She scored 22 points in 27 games in her two seasons with the Rockets.
• Pool has scored four goals since joining the Falcons. Three of those four goals have been game winners.
• Maya Dean now has two assists this season and 11 in her BGSU career. The senior now has 23 career points as a Falcon.
• Brynn Gardner took – and made – the first penalty kick of her Falcon career. She has two goals this season, and now has eight goals and 23 points in 25 career matches at BGSU.
• Berg and Vukas, as mentioned, combined to keep a clean sheet. Berg has now been a part of 26 shutouts in 55 matches as a Falcon.
• Vukas lowered her goals-against averages to 1.43 this season and 1.17 in her collegiate career.
• The Falcons are now 40-7-4 in MAC regular-season matches since the start of the 2018 season. In that time, BGSU is an eye-popping 22-3-1 on the road against league foes.
• BGSU trails Toledo, 15-11-5, in the all-time series, but the Falcons are unbeaten in the last five matches. BG is 4-0-1 since the Rockets' last series win in 2017.

AROUND THE MAC
Bowling Green 2, at Toledo 0
at Western Michigan 3, Northern Illinois 0
Kent State 1, at Ohio 0
at Ball State 3, Miami 1
Eastern Michigan 1, at Central Michigan 0
Buffalo 2, at Akron 0

UP NEXT
• The Falcons begin the home portion of the MAC schedule on Sunday (Sept. 24), when Western Michigan comes to Cochrane Stadium. First touch is set for 1:00 p.m., and Sunday will be both Senior Day and Alumnae Day.

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.