No. 24 Falcons Settle for 1-1 Draw at NKU

Tuesday, September 17

Highland Heights, Ky.

7 p.m.

Bowling Green State University

Northern Kentucky

Photo by: Drake Harlett, BGSU Athletics

September 17, 2024 | Men's Soccer

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

By: by Mike Cihon, BGSU Strategic Communications

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Junior Trace Terry scored a first-half goal as the Bowling Green State University men's soccer team battled host Northern Kentucky University to a 1-1 draw Tuesday night (Sept. 17), in non-conference action at NKU Soccer Stadium.

The Falcons (5-1-1) outshot the hosts by a 12-5 count, but the Norse (1-2-4) found the tying goal near the hour mark.

BGSU, ranked 24th in the nation in the latest United Soccer Coaches poll, held the hosts without a shot attempt for the first 55 minutes of the match. But, three of NKU's five shots on the night came in a span of just over two minutes, including a goal by Ali Taleb.

Brendan Graves made two saves in goal for the Falcons, while Nic Lemen had two stops for the Norse.

TOP-25 FALCONS
• As mentioned, the Falcons were ranked 24th in the nation in the United Soccer Coaches poll, which was released on Tuesday afternoon. It marked BGSU's first time in the poll since the Falcons were tied for 25th in the nation in the 2022 preseason rankings (Aug. 2, 2022).

HIGHLIGHTS
• Sophomore Bennett Painter fired a shot that went wide left just over one minute into the match. Then, off of a BGSU corner kick in the ninth minute, Alberto Anaya's cross found Anthony Hernandez, who hit a hard shot that was wide of the right post. Those were the only two shot attempts in the first 31-plus minutes of the contest.

• In the 32nd minute, a nifty ball off the boot of Anaya put junior Trace Terry behind the NKU defense. Terry fired a shot from near the top of the 18, but Lemen made an impressive save to tip the ball wide of the frame.

• But, Terry made no mistake in the 35th minute of the contest. Anaya served the ball into the center of the box from the left side. Lemen came off of his line in an attempt to get to the ball, but Terry was there to head the ball over the 'keeper and into the center of the vacated net.

• Just one minute later, Andrew Shaffer's serve found the head of Terry as well, but the junior's shot was wide.

• In the final minute of the half, Painter got his head on a diagonal ball from Gus Peacock, but Painter's effort from near the 18-yard line was taken out of the air by Lemen.

• NKU's first shot of any kind came in the 56th minute, when Ali Taleb ran onto a pass on the right side of the box and attempted to cut the ball back toward the goal. But, BGSU goalkeeper Brendan Graves was there to block the shot away, and after a corner kick, a shot attempt sailed well over the crossbar.

• But, in the 58th minute, a pass from Yonatan Cohen found Taleb behind the BG back line, and Taleb converted to tie the score.

• Graves made a save on a low shot by Cohen less than a minute after the goal, and the Norse would have just two shot attempts – both off target – in the remaining 32-plus minutes of the match.

• In the 79th minute, Kyle Cusimano played a nifty cross into the box from the left side. Painter was there to outjump a would-be defender, but the sophomore's shot was off target. One minute later, Anaya took a Shaffer pass and fired a shot across his body that went just wide of the far post.

• An Anaya pass toward Painter as the clock ticked down toward the two-minute mark resulted in Painter winning a corner kick. Anaya took that corner kick, and the ball again found the head of Painter, but his header sailed just past the far post.

STATS, NOTES & NUMBERS
• BGSU had advantages of 12-5 in total shot attempts and 5-2 in corner kicks. Both teams were credited with three shots on goal.
• The Falcons held NKU without a shot attempt for the game's first 55 minutes.
• Each squad has a coach with ties to the other program. BGSU assistant coach Stu Riddle was head coach at NKU for five seasons (2017-21), while NKU assistant coach Sergi Martinez played two years (2021-22) for the Falcons, earning All-Mid-American Conference First-Team honors in his final season.
• Junior Trace Terry now has four goals and nine points on the year, good for second on the Falcons in both categories.
• Terry's goal on Tuesday night was the 10th of his BGSU career. He now has 27 points in 40 matches as a Falcon.
• Alberto Anaya's assist was his second of the season and the 16th of his career.
• Anaya now has 44 career points at BGSU, and has moved into sole possession of 26th place on that school list.

UP NEXT
• The Falcons return to Missouri Valley Conference play this weekend, heading to Peoria, Ill., for a Saturday (Sept. 21) matchup with Bradley. First touch is set for 7:00 p.m. local time (8:00 p.m. ET) at Shea Stadium.

• Then, the Orange and Brown will end the month of September with a pair of home games, against Eastern Illinois (Sept. 24) and Belmont (Sept. 27). Both matches will begin at 7:00 p.m., and admission is free.

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.