Falcons Fall, 1-0, at Evansville

Friday, October 25

Evansville, Ind.

8 p.m.

Bowling Green State University

9-4-2, 3-3-1

Evansville

8-5-2, 4-2-0

Bowling Green

Evansville

Andrew Shaffer led all players with 4 total shots & 3 shots on goal at Evansville

Photo by: Drake Harlett, BGSU Athletics

October 25, 2024 | Men's Soccer

Box Score Final Stats (PDF)Support BGSU Men's Soccer

By: by Mike Cihon, BGSU Strategic Communications

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The Bowling Green State University men's soccer team suffered a 1-0 loss on the road against the University of Evansville Friday night (Oct. 25). The Missouri Valley Conference match took place at Arad McCutchan Stadium.

The Falcons (9-4-2, 3-3-1 MVC) held advantages in total shot attempts (14-7), shots on goal (6-2) and corner kicks (5-1), and BGSU possessed the ball for a majority of the match.

But, the Purple Aces (8-5-2, 4-2-0 MVC) got what proved to be the winning goal just shy of the hour mark, and UE goalkeeper Michal Mroz made six saves, including a diving stop of a second-half penalty kick.

The Falcons had more shot attempts in the second half alone than the Aces had in the entire match. BGSU held a 10-4 lead in shots in the second period.

With the win, Evansville moves into sole possession of second place in the MVC, while the Falcons are now in fourth place in the conference (scroll down for updated MVC standings and each team's remaining league schedule).

HOW IT HAPPENED
• 3' | Evansville had an early chance, as a long pass found Jose Vivas down the left side. Vivas cut the ball inside and fired a shot from just outside the 18-yard line, but that shot hit a teammate and caromed out of play for a BGSU goal kick.
• 15' | Andrew Shaffer fired the Falcons' first shot of the match with just over 14 minutes gone, cutting the ball back on the left side and hitting a curving shot that was grabbed by UE goalkeeper Michal Mroz.
• 26' | The Falcons threatened in the UE end, as Bennett Painter slid a pass to Ryko Bodurov in the center of the box. But, Bodurov's shot was saved by a diving Mroz.
• 31' | The Aces had a chance several minutes later, seemingly out of nothing, as a ball fell to an open Vivas on the right side of the box. But, his effort sailed just over the crossbar.
• 46' | Brendan Graves was not called upon to make a save in the first half, but Nacho Diaz Barragan fired a shot from the right side of the box within the first 30 seconds of the second period, with the BGSU 'keeper leaping to grab the ball out of the air.
• 53' | The Aces looked to capitalize on a BGSU giveaway in the penalty area, but Mads Christensen blocked a cross/shot, and Graves went high into the air to grab the ensuing corner kick with three UE players around him.
• 56' | Kyle Cusimano took a throw-in in the Falcons' offensive end of the field, and Josh Erlandson headed the long throw along. The ball went to Shaffer, who saw his header hit the crossbar and bounce away.
• 58' | Painter went past a defender on the left side of the field and brough the ball along the end line. He attempted to center a pass to Jake Lane, but the ball was blocked out of play, and Mroz grabbed the ensuing corner kick out of the air.
• 60 | The Aces took the lead with just under an hour gone. Kai Phillip found Samuel Uwusu in the center of the box, and Uwusu was able to settle the ball, then place his shot just inside the left goalpost.
• 62' | Christensen slid a pass to Shaffer near the top of the 18, but Shaffer's had shot was saved by a diving Mroz.
• 67' | A left-side cross by Shaffer went to Anthony Hernandez on the far side of the six-yard box. The sophomore uncorked a hard shot, but it was blocked by a defender.
• 80' | With 10:25 to go, an Evansville foul resulted in a yellow card on the Aces. BGSU had a free kick on the left side of the field; basically a short corner kick. That Anaya kick was blocked at the near post. The ball came to Cusimano, who slid a pass to Anaya on his left. Anaya was fouled by a defender and a penalty kick was awarded. But, Mroz guessed correctly on the PK, making a diving save of Anaya's shot near the post.
• 86' | The Aces looked to double the lead on a counterattack, but a blast by Phillip hit the crossbar.
• 87' | A hard shot by Bodurov was blocked by the head of a UE player, caroming out of bounds with exactly three minutes to go. After the player who blocked the shot left the match due to injury, the ensuing corner kick was deflected to Cusimano. His dangerous-looking shot from approximately six yards out was blocked by a lunging defender.

MVC STANDINGS AND SCHEDULE
(updated through Saturday afternoon, Oct. 26)
School (Overall) MVC  Pts. Remaining Schedule (MVC games only)
1. Missouri St. (10-2-2) 5-0-1 16 v Evansville (11/1); at Drake (11/6)
2. Evansville (8-5-2) 4-2-0 12 at Missouri St. (11/1); v Belmont (11/6)
3. Drake (7-3-3) 3-0-2 11 v UIC (10/26); at NIU (11/1); v Missouri St. 11/6)
4. Western Mich. (10-0-6) 2-0-4 10 at BGSU (11/1); v UIC (11/6)
Bowling Green (9-4-2) 3-3-1 10 v WMU (11/1)
6. UIC (6-7-0) 2-3-0 6 at Drake (10/26); v Bradley (11/1); at WMU (11/6)
7. Bradley (4-7-3) 1-4-1 4 at UIC (11/1); v NIU (11/6)
Belmont (4-8-3) 1-5-1 4 at Evansville (11/6)
9. Northern Ill. (3-11-0) 1-5-0 3 v Drake (11/1); at Bradley (11/6)

UP NEXT
• The Falcons will close the home portion of the regular-season schedule next Friday night (Nov. 1), taking on nationally-ranked Western Michigan. First touch is set for 7:00 p.m. at Cochrane Stadium, and admission is free.

• Then, the Orange and Brown will step outside of conference play, ending the regular season with a match at Oregon State on Wednesday, Nov. 6. That contest will begin at 10:00 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.