Falcons Fall to Flashes; BGSU Now Sets Sights on MAC Tournament

Thursday, October 31

Kent, Ohio

3 p.m.

Bowling Green State University

7-6-4, 4-4-3

Kent State

8-6-3, 5-4-2

Bowling Green

Kent St.

Goal Celebration - Lilly Boebel at KSU - Oct. 31, 2024

The Falcons celebrate a goal by Lilly Boebel (left) late in the first half

Photo by: David A. Cleveland Photography

October 31, 2024 | Women's Soccer

Box Score Final Stats (PDF)MAC Tourn. Bracket

Falcons will head to Athens for tourney first-round match against Ohio

By: by Mike Cihon, BGSU Strategic Communications

KENT, Ohio – Host Kent State University rallied from a second-half deficit to post a 4-2 win over the Bowling Green State University women's soccer team Thursday afternoon (Oct. 31). The Mid-American Conference match, the final regular-season contest for both teams, took place at Zoeller Field at Dix Stadium.

Freshman Lilly Boebel and sophomore Emme Butera scored goals for the Falcons (7-6-4, 4-4-3 MAC). Boebel's first collegiate goal came with just 23.1 seconds remaining in the first half, tying the score at 1-1.

And, Butera scored an Olimpico, curving a corner kick into the goal in the 58th minute to give the Orange and Brown the lead. But, the Golden Flashes ( 8-6-3, 5-4-2 MAC) responded with the tying goal midway through the second half, and recorded the eventual winner in the 71st minute before tacking on a late insurance goal.

The Falcons have qualified for the MAC Tournament. BGSU will be the sixth seed, and will play a first-round match at Ohio on Sunday afternoon (Nov. 3).

HOW IT HAPPENED
• On a windy day in Northeast Ohio, KSU got on the board early. Siena Stambolich curved her corner kick into the far side of the net to give the Flashes the lead at the 4:27 mark. It would not be the last Olimpico of the game.
• With just over 18 minutes left before halftime, a long free kick by Stambolich caromed off of the crossbar and bounced out of the penalty area.
• In the 31st minute, Payton O'Malley made a leaping save on a left-side cross/shot by Allison Collins. The ball carried toward the far upper corner of the net, but the freshman 'keeper was able to knock it away from the goalmouth.
• BGSU's first shot of the afternoon found the back of the net with just 23.1 seconds in the half. The Falcons built out of the back after a goal kick. Emme Butera played a ball forward to Michelle Hochstadt, who took two touches as she moved past midfield.
• Hochstadt then put a ball over the top to Lizzie Bultynck on the right side of the field. As Bultynck reached the corner of the 18-yard box, she slid a low diagonal ball toward the goalmouth. KSU 'keeper Heidi Marshall came off of her line in an attempt to deflect the ball, but arrived a split-second too late. The pass continued into the path of the onrushing Lilly Boebel, who blasted a shot into the net for her first collegiate goal.
• As the match approached the hour mark, the Falcons took the lead. Brynn Gardner won a corner kick after tapping the ball off of a KSU player at the last minute, and BGSU made the most of it. Emme Butera took that kick, and curved it into the goal. After giving up an Olimpico goal in the first half, the Falcons scored one of their own to take the lead in the 58th minute.
• With just over 31 minutes to go, Gardner stole the ball from a KSU player and quickly slid a pass to Boebel. Boebel's shot glanced off the left goalpost as she was dumped by Marshall, who had come off of her line.
• KSU had a golden opportunity when Samantha Miller went low to get her head on a short diagonal ball. Miller's shot hit the post, however, and the Falcons were able to clear the ball out of danger.
• But, less than a minute later, the Flashes tied it up. Alisa Arthur ran onto a through ball on the left side of the field, and put a shot into the far side of the net to knot the score in the 68th minute.
• And, the Flashes took the lead with just under 20 minutes to go. After earning back-to-back corner kicks, the latter kick was headed into the goal by Ava Todd to make it a 3-2 game.
• KSU put the game away with just over five minutes to go. Arthur dispossessed a BGSU player, went in all alone and scored The Falcons lobbied for an Arthur foul on the play, but to no avail.

UP NEXT
• The Falcons, as mentioned, have qualified for the MAC Tournament. BGSU will be the sixth seed for the tourney, and will play a first-round match at third-seeded Ohio on Sunday afternoon (Nov. 3). First touch is set for 1:00 p.m. at Chessa Field.
• The other first-round match will see fifth-seeded Miami play at fourth-seeded KSU. The two first-round survivors will join second-seeded Buffalo for the semifinal round, which will be hosted by regular-season champion Western Michigan.
• The semifinal round is set for next Thursday (Nov. 7), with the final taking place three days later (Sunday, Nov. 10).

THURSDAY'S MAC RESULTS
at Kent State 4, Bowling Green 2
Eastern Michigan 1, at Akron 0
Ball State 0, at Toledo 0
Buffalo 0, at Central Michigan 0
at Miami 1, Ohio 0
at Western Michigan 1, Northern Illinois 0

MAC STANDINGS
Team (Overall) MAC Pts.
1. Western Mich. (11-1-6) 8-0-3 27
2. Buffalo (10-1-7) 5-1-5 20
3. Ohio (10-4-4) 5-3-3 18
4. Kent State (8-6-3) 5-4-2 17
5. Miami (8-4-6) 4-3-4 16
6. Bowling Green (7-6-4) 4-4-3 15
7. Eastern Mich. (7-6-5) 3-3-5 14
8. Northern Ill. (9-5-5) 3-4-4 13
Central Mich. (5-8-5) 3-4-4 13
Toledo (6-7-5) 3-4-4 13
11. Ball State (7-8-3) 2-6-3 9
12. Akron (5-9-4) 0-9-2 2

MAC TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
First Round - Sunday, Nov. 3 (campus sites)
#6 Bowling Green at #3 Ohio
#5 Miami at #4 Kent State

Semifinals - Thursday, Nov. 7 (Kalamazoo, Mich.)
BGSU/Ohio vs. #2 Buffalo
Miami/KSU at #1 Western Michigan

Final - Sunday, Nov. 10 (Kalamazoo, Mich.)
BGSU/Ohio/UB vs. Miami/KSU/WMU

FOR MORE INFORMATION...
• For more information on the women's soccer program, follow the Falcons on Twitter/X (@BGSU_Athletics and @BGSU_WSoccer) and Instagram (bgsu_wsoccer), as well as on the web right here at BGSUFalcons.com.