Mahoney’s Brace Lifts Falcons Past Detroit Mercy, 3-1

Thursday, August 15

Bowling Green, Ohio

7 p.m.

Bowling Green State University

1-0-0, 0-0-0

Detroit Mercy

0-1-0, 0-0-0

Team	1	2	Final F
Detroit Mercy	1	0	1
Bowling Green	1	2	3

The Falcons celebrate a goal by Lauren Mahoney, her second of the match, early in the second half

Photo by: Avery Zuercher, BGSU Athletics

August 15, 2024 | Women's Soccer

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Freshman scores two goals just over six minutes apart in her BGSU debut

By: by Mike Cihon, BGSU Strategic Communications

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – Freshman Lauren Mahoney scored two goals in her collegiate debut, propelling the Bowling Green State University women's soccer team to a 3-1 win over the University of Detroit Mercy Thursday (Aug. 15) night. The match, the regular-season opener for both teams, was held at Cochrane Stadium.

Junior Brynn Gardner had a goal and an assist for the Falcons (1-0-0), who scored three-straight goals after falling behind in the eighth minute of the match.

The win came in the BGSU debut of head coach Chris Fox, who assumed the Falcon helm in December of 2023.

In her first collegiate game, Mahoney didn't take long to make her presence felt. She raced past a defender to tap home a low left-side cross by Alaina Uncapher. That goal, with just over four minutes remaining in the first half, came just over two minutes after Mahoney had checked into the match for the first time.

Then, just over two minutes into the second half, Mahoney scored what would prove to be the winner. After a Gardner cross was blocked, the ball came to Mahoney on the right side of the penalty area. She took several touches and neatly tucked the ball into the lower right corner, between diving UDM goalkeeper Marisa Silver and the post.

Gardner gave the Falcons some insurance with a clinical finish in the center of the box, after a nifty through ball by freshman Lilly Boebel.

Madison Vukas made four saves in goal to earn the win for the Falcons.

NOTE OF THE NIGHT
Lauren Mahoney is the first player in the history of the BGSU women's soccer program (now in its 28th season) to score two goals in her collegiate debut.

In her BGSU debut, freshman Lauren Mahoney's SECOND goal of the night proves to be the winner!#AyZiggy | 🟠⚽️🟤 pic.twitter.com/7sU45PPkAY
— BGSU Women's Soccer (@BGSU_WSoccer) August 16, 2024

HOW IT HAPPENED
• The Titans got on the board with just over seven minutes gone. A corner kick by UDM's Hailey Matthews sailed into a crowd of players in the penalty area. A BGSU defender was first to touch the ball, but it bounced near the six-yard line and was trundled across the line by Justice Tillotson.
• The Falcons had only one shot attempt in the first 35 minutes of the match, but then began to threaten UDM starting goalkeeper Chantelle Symes. A left-side cross by Alaina Uncapher sailed just past Emma Stransky at the far post. Then, off of a corner kick, Stransky rose high above several players and put a header on frame, but Symes was able to make the save. Uncapher's shot sailed just over the goal in the 40th minute, but BGSU would tie the game just over a minute later.
• The Falcons' goal saw BGSU string together eight passes, with seven different players, including goalkeeper Madison Vukas, involved in that sequence. BGSU eventually worked the ball forward on the left side, with Alexis Tsaprailis taking a pass from fellow freshman Haley Wolf near midfield and playing the ball past several defenders toward the charging Uncapher.
• Uncapher ran onto the ball and played a low cross into the box. The ball took a slight deflection off of a lunging Titan defender and rolled across the six-yard line. Lauren Mahoney sliced past another UDM defender and tapped the ball into the center of the net at the 40:43 mark.
• Less than seven minutes of game time later, Mahoney struck again, and her goal with 47:04 gone proved to be the winner. Brynn Gardner played a cross toward the box from the right side. The ball was blocked and went directly to Mahoney, who took a few quick touches, then placed her low shot between the post and the outstretched fingers of diving 'keeper Marisa Silver.
• Gardner scored the clinching goal in the 86th minute. Freshman Lilly Boebel played a gorgeous through ball between several Titans, and Gardner raced onto the ball, fended off a defender as she headed into the penalty area, then clinically put her shot past the onrushing Silver for a 3-1 BG lead.

Gallery: (8-15-2024) 081524 wsoc v UDM - Avery Zuercher

STATS, NOTES & NUMBERS
• BGSU had advantages of 16-7 in total shots, 6-5 in shots on goal and 8-4 in corner kicks.
• Madison Vukas, as mentioned, made four saves in goal to pick up the win.
• Two first-year Falcons were in the starting lineup, including freshman Lilly Boebel and sophomore Michelle Hochstadt, a transfer from Morehead State.
• In addition to that duo, sophomore Emme Butera made the first start of her collegiate career. Butera played in every match last season for the Falcons, but came off the bench in all 18 games.
• Of BGSU's seven substitutions, only one – sophomore Lexi White – saw action for the Falcons last season. Four of the subs were freshmen, including Lauren Mahoney, Regan Reilly, Alexis Tsaprailis and Haley Wolf, while both Emily Hollar and Alaina Uncapher played on Thursday night after missing the entire 2023 campaign.
• Two of BGSU's three goals, as well as three of the Falcons' four assists, were recorded by players who did not see action for BG in 2023. Mahoney scored two goals in her Falcon debut, with fellow frosh Boebel and Tsaprailis each recording an assist.
• With a goal and an assist vs. UDM, Brynn Gardner now has 38 career points in 37 career games as a Falcon. She has moved into 16th place on the BGSU career scoring list.
• Chris Fox is the sixth full-time coach in the history of BGSU women's soccer. Five of those six coaches, including Fox, have picked up a win in their Falcon debut.

UP NEXT
• BGSU is back at Cochrane Stadium next Thursday (Aug. 22), taking on Findlay in a 7:00 p.m. start.
• Then, the Orange and Brown will hit the road for three consecutive matches, meeting Duquesne (Aug. 25), Loyola Chicago (Sept. 1) and Cleveland State (Sept. 8) before closing the non-conference portion of the schedule by hosting Oakland on Sept. 12.

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.