Tuesday, September 24
Rossford, Ohio
8 p.m.
Bowling Green State University
vs
Eastern Illinois
Photo by: Lauren Laudato, BGSU Athletics
No. 24 Falcons Ready for Tuesday's EIU Match at Cochrane
September 23, 2024 | Men's Soccer
BGSU begins a two-game homestand vs. Panthers
#24 BGSU vs. EASTERN ILLINOIS
Tuesday, Sept. 24 | 7:00 p.m.
Cochrane Stadium | Bowling Green, Ohio
Video/Web Stream: BCSN/ESPN+
Live Stats: BGSUFalcons.com
#24 BGSU vs. BELMONT
Friday, Sept. 27 | 7:00 p.m.
Cochrane Stadium | Bowling Green, Ohio
Video/Web Stream: WBGU-TV/YouTube
Live Stats: BGSUFalcons.com
• The nationally-ranked Bowling Green State University men's soccer team closes out the month of September with a pair of home matches. Head coach Eric Nichols and the Falcons step outside of conference play for a Tuesday (Sept. 24) matchup with Eastern Illinois University. First touch is set for 7:00 p.m. at Cochrane Stadium, and admission is free.
• Then, the Orange and Brown will face Belmont University in Missouri Valley Conference action on Friday evening (Sept. 27). That match also begins at 7:00 p.m. at Cochrane.
HOW TO FOLLOW THE FALCONS
• The EIU match will air on BCSN in the Toledo area, and will be streamed via the BCSN app as well as on ESPN+. Friday's Belmont match will be streamed on YouTube, free of charge, and produced by WBGU-TV. Live stats and Twitter/X updates (@BGSUMSoccer), as always, will also be available.
• Links to any available live audio/video/stats for all 2024 matches can be found on the web at BGSUFalcons.com on game day.
FALCONS IN THE TOP 25
• The Falcons are ranked 24th in the nation in the most recent United Soccer Coaches poll, which was released last Tuesday afternoon (Sept. 17). It marks 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).
• BGSU has not been listed higher than 24th in the rankings since the 2021 team rose to 14th in the country (Oct. 19, 2021).
• For the second-straight week, the Falcons were ranked fourth in the West Region, trailing only #3 Denver, #9 Western Michigan and #15 San Diego.
BRACE TERRY: TRACE SCORES TWICE (AGAIN) IN WIN OVER BRADLEY
• Junior Trace Terry scored both BGSU goals as the Falcons downed Bradley, 2-1, Saturday night (Sept. 21). It was the third two-goal match of his BGSU career, the highest total among current Falcons. It was also his second brace in as many matches against BU.
• Last season, in the teams' first meeting as MVC members, Terry had two goals in a 3-1 BGSU win at Cochrane Stadium (Sept. 23, 2023).
• Terry's other career brace came just a week later, in a 4-2 victory over Evansville at Cochrane (Sept. 30, 2023).
DEJA VU ALL OVER AGAIN
• Last year, as mentioned in the previous note, Trace Terry scored two goals in BG's win over Bradley. That 2023 match saw Terry score midway through the first half, before BU tied the match on a second-half penalty kick. Then, Terry scored the eventual winner, off of an Andrew Shaffer assist, in the 83rd minute.
• On Saturday night, Terry scored midway through the opening half, before the Braves tied the match on a second-half PK. Then, Terry scored the winner in the 87th minute, off of a Shaffer assist.
• One difference in the two matches: the 2023 meeting saw Jake Lane score as well, for a 3-1 BGSU win.
PAINT BY NUMBERS
• Bennett Painter, after a fantastic finish to his freshman campaign, has had a sensational start to his sophomore season. Painter scored both of BGSU's goals, including the winner with just over three minutes left, in the Falcons' 2-1 win over Northern Illinois in the MVC opener (Sept. 13).
• Entering the EIU contest, Painter has amassed 19 career points in 21 games, on eight goals and three assists. He has scored all 19 of those points in his last 11 matches, dating to late last season.
TWO AND OH
• Sure, it's only the program's second season as a member of the conference, but the Falcons are off to a 2-0-0 start in Missouri Valley Conference play for the first time ever. BGSU's win over Northern Illinois (Sept. 13) was the Falcons' first in a league opener since 2021, when the Falcons downed Georgia State and Georgia Southern to get off to a 2-0-0 start in Mid-American Conference action.
ABOUT THE FALCONS
• Bowling Green is 6-1-1 on the season, heading into the Eastern Illinois match, and the Falcons are off to a 2-0-0 start in MVC play. BGSU opened conference action with a 2-1 win over Northern Illinois (Sept. 13) at Cochrane Stadium. Last week, BGSU battled host Northern Kentucky to a 1-1 draw (Sept. 17) before picking up a 2-1 victory at Bradley (Sept. 21).
• The Falcons are currently ranked 24th in the nation and fourth in the West Region, according to the United Soccer Coaches polls. Those rankings came out last Tuesday afternoon (Sept. 17).
• The Falcons are 3-0-0 at home this season, with a pair of 3-2 wins over Wright State (Aug. 23) and Butler (Sept. 7) in addition to the NIU match. And, BGSU is 3-1-1 in road games.
• BG went on the road and defeated both Michigan State (1-0, Aug. 26) and IU Indy (4-1, Aug. 30-31), before falling to now nationally-ranked Michigan (2-0, Sept. 2).
• The Falcons welcomed back 17 of the 20 players who saw action last season. That group includes nine starters from a 2023 club that went 7-8-3 overall and 4-4-0 in BGSU's first year in the MVC.
• Junior Trace Terry leads the team in scoring, with six goals and 13 points. He scored all three of the Falcons' goals in last week's matches at NKU and Bradley. Sophomore Bennett Painter has 11 points, including five goals. Three of those five goals have proven to be the game-winner.
• Junior Andrew Shaffer and senior Alberto Anaya have seven points apiece. Shaffer leads the team with five assists, while Anaya is third on the club with two goals and second on the team with three assists. Fifth-year Falcon Kyle Cusimano has four points on the year.
• Another fifth-year Falcon, Brendan Graves, has played all eight matches in goal and has 23 saves, a 1.25 GAA and one shutout. Three of the 10 goals BGSU has allowed have come via penalty kicks.
• Graves and Josh Erlandson each have played all 720 minutes this season to date, while Cusimano, Painter and Shaffer have played 719, 718 and 697, respectively.
• Anaya and Terry, BGSU's top-two scorers from a year ago, each were named to the Preseason All-MVC Team in 2024. Both players had 14 points on four goals and six assists last season. Anaya was named to the 2023 All-MVC First Team, with Terry earning all-conference second-team honors.
• In all, BGSU returned six of last year's top-seven scorers.
• Graves is back in goal in '24 after starting every match a year ago. In fact, Graves has played every second of the Falcons' last 48 matches – a total of 4,340 minutes. No other BGSU 'keeper has been between the posts since Oct. 22, 2021.
HOME COOKIN'
• Head coach Eric Nichols and the Falcons have made Cochrane Stadium a difficult place to play for the opponents. In the last decade (plus three games) – since the start of the 2014 season – BGSU has a record of 50-15-15 (.719) in home games.
• Since Nichols took the helm prior to the 2009 season, the Falcons have a record of 66-31-22 at home.
ROAD WARRIORS
• Before the month of August had ended, the Falcons had doubled the road win total for all of last season. BGSU went 1-6-2 away from home in 2023, but the '24 Falcons began the road portion of the schedule with a 1-0 win over Michigan State (Aug. 26), then went to IU Indy and came away with a 4-1 victory (Aug. 30-31).
• After Saturday's win at Bradley, the Falcons now have a 3-1-1 road record this season.
THE OPPONENTS
• Eastern Illinois enters Tuesday's match with an overall record of 1-3-1. The Panthers opened the season with a 3-0 win over the University of Chicago, and after setbacks to Detroit Mercy, Purdue Fort Wayne and Evansville, played Wright State to a 2-2 draw on the road last Tuesday (Sept. 17). Sam Eccles has team-leading totals of three assists and five points, while Jackson Liley's four points include an EIU-best two goals. Chad Smith has started four of the team's five matches in goal and has 18 saves, one shutout and a 2.29 GAA. Josh Oakley is in his third season as EIU head coach. The team went 4-10-5 overall and 3-5-2 in Ohio Valley Conference play in 2023.
• Belmont is 2-3-3 overall and 0-1-1 in the MVC, heading into Friday's match at Cochrane. The Bruins opened league play with a 1-1 draw against then No. 4 Western Michigan, before dropping a 4-0 decision at Drake on Sunday (Sept. 22). AJ Chastonay leads the club with five goals and 12 points, while Grant Calvert has played every second in goal and has 14 saves, two clean sheets and a 1.50 GAA. Head coach David Costa returned seven players who have earned conference recognition at some point in their careers. Last year's club went 8-7-3 overall and 3-4-1 in the MVC.
THE SERIES
• BGSU leads Eastern Illinois, 3-1-1, in the all-time series, and the teams are meeting for the first time in a decade. The last matchup saw BG win, 3-1, at Cochrane Stadium (Sept. 19, 2014). The Falcons are 2-1-0 at home, 1-0-0 on the road and 0-1-1 in neutral-site meetings with the Panthers through the years.
• BGSU trails Belmont, 2-0-0, in that series, and Friday marks the Bruins' first-ever visit to Cochrane. Belmont captured a 2-1 win in Nashville last year. That marked the teams' first meeting since 2011, when the host Bruins had also posted a one-goal win.
UP NEXT
• Following the Belmont match, the Falcons will open the October schedule with a trip to Chicago, facing UIC on Saturday night, Oct. 5.
• Then, the Orange and Brown will prepare for two home matches, facing Detroit Mercy (Oct. 8) and Drake (Oct. 12) in a pair of 7:00 p.m. starts at Cochrane.
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), and on the web at BGSUFalcons.com.
Tuesday, Sept. 24 | 7:00 p.m.
Cochrane Stadium | Bowling Green, Ohio
Video/Web Stream: BCSN/ESPN+
Live Stats: BGSUFalcons.com
#24 BGSU vs. BELMONT
Friday, Sept. 27 | 7:00 p.m.
Cochrane Stadium | Bowling Green, Ohio
Video/Web Stream: WBGU-TV/YouTube
Live Stats: BGSUFalcons.com
• The nationally-ranked Bowling Green State University men's soccer team closes out the month of September with a pair of home matches. Head coach Eric Nichols and the Falcons step outside of conference play for a Tuesday (Sept. 24) matchup with Eastern Illinois University. First touch is set for 7:00 p.m. at Cochrane Stadium, and admission is free.
• Then, the Orange and Brown will face Belmont University in Missouri Valley Conference action on Friday evening (Sept. 27). That match also begins at 7:00 p.m. at Cochrane.
HOW TO FOLLOW THE FALCONS
• The EIU match will air on BCSN in the Toledo area, and will be streamed via the BCSN app as well as on ESPN+. Friday's Belmont match will be streamed on YouTube, free of charge, and produced by WBGU-TV. Live stats and Twitter/X updates (@BGSUMSoccer), as always, will also be available.
• Links to any available live audio/video/stats for all 2024 matches can be found on the web at BGSUFalcons.com on game day.
FALCONS IN THE TOP 25
• The Falcons are ranked 24th in the nation in the most recent United Soccer Coaches poll, which was released last Tuesday afternoon (Sept. 17). It marks 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).
• BGSU has not been listed higher than 24th in the rankings since the 2021 team rose to 14th in the country (Oct. 19, 2021).
• For the second-straight week, the Falcons were ranked fourth in the West Region, trailing only #3 Denver, #9 Western Michigan and #15 San Diego.
BRACE TERRY: TRACE SCORES TWICE (AGAIN) IN WIN OVER BRADLEY
• Junior Trace Terry scored both BGSU goals as the Falcons downed Bradley, 2-1, Saturday night (Sept. 21). It was the third two-goal match of his BGSU career, the highest total among current Falcons. It was also his second brace in as many matches against BU.
• Last season, in the teams' first meeting as MVC members, Terry had two goals in a 3-1 BGSU win at Cochrane Stadium (Sept. 23, 2023).
• Terry's other career brace came just a week later, in a 4-2 victory over Evansville at Cochrane (Sept. 30, 2023).
DEJA VU ALL OVER AGAIN
• Last year, as mentioned in the previous note, Trace Terry scored two goals in BG's win over Bradley. That 2023 match saw Terry score midway through the first half, before BU tied the match on a second-half penalty kick. Then, Terry scored the eventual winner, off of an Andrew Shaffer assist, in the 83rd minute.
• On Saturday night, Terry scored midway through the opening half, before the Braves tied the match on a second-half PK. Then, Terry scored the winner in the 87th minute, off of a Shaffer assist.
• One difference in the two matches: the 2023 meeting saw Jake Lane score as well, for a 3-1 BGSU win.
PAINT BY NUMBERS
• Bennett Painter, after a fantastic finish to his freshman campaign, has had a sensational start to his sophomore season. Painter scored both of BGSU's goals, including the winner with just over three minutes left, in the Falcons' 2-1 win over Northern Illinois in the MVC opener (Sept. 13).
• Entering the EIU contest, Painter has amassed 19 career points in 21 games, on eight goals and three assists. He has scored all 19 of those points in his last 11 matches, dating to late last season.
TWO AND OH
• Sure, it's only the program's second season as a member of the conference, but the Falcons are off to a 2-0-0 start in Missouri Valley Conference play for the first time ever. BGSU's win over Northern Illinois (Sept. 13) was the Falcons' first in a league opener since 2021, when the Falcons downed Georgia State and Georgia Southern to get off to a 2-0-0 start in Mid-American Conference action.
ABOUT THE FALCONS
• Bowling Green is 6-1-1 on the season, heading into the Eastern Illinois match, and the Falcons are off to a 2-0-0 start in MVC play. BGSU opened conference action with a 2-1 win over Northern Illinois (Sept. 13) at Cochrane Stadium. Last week, BGSU battled host Northern Kentucky to a 1-1 draw (Sept. 17) before picking up a 2-1 victory at Bradley (Sept. 21).
• The Falcons are currently ranked 24th in the nation and fourth in the West Region, according to the United Soccer Coaches polls. Those rankings came out last Tuesday afternoon (Sept. 17).
• The Falcons are 3-0-0 at home this season, with a pair of 3-2 wins over Wright State (Aug. 23) and Butler (Sept. 7) in addition to the NIU match. And, BGSU is 3-1-1 in road games.
• BG went on the road and defeated both Michigan State (1-0, Aug. 26) and IU Indy (4-1, Aug. 30-31), before falling to now nationally-ranked Michigan (2-0, Sept. 2).
• The Falcons welcomed back 17 of the 20 players who saw action last season. That group includes nine starters from a 2023 club that went 7-8-3 overall and 4-4-0 in BGSU's first year in the MVC.
• Junior Trace Terry leads the team in scoring, with six goals and 13 points. He scored all three of the Falcons' goals in last week's matches at NKU and Bradley. Sophomore Bennett Painter has 11 points, including five goals. Three of those five goals have proven to be the game-winner.
• Junior Andrew Shaffer and senior Alberto Anaya have seven points apiece. Shaffer leads the team with five assists, while Anaya is third on the club with two goals and second on the team with three assists. Fifth-year Falcon Kyle Cusimano has four points on the year.
• Another fifth-year Falcon, Brendan Graves, has played all eight matches in goal and has 23 saves, a 1.25 GAA and one shutout. Three of the 10 goals BGSU has allowed have come via penalty kicks.
• Graves and Josh Erlandson each have played all 720 minutes this season to date, while Cusimano, Painter and Shaffer have played 719, 718 and 697, respectively.
• Anaya and Terry, BGSU's top-two scorers from a year ago, each were named to the Preseason All-MVC Team in 2024. Both players had 14 points on four goals and six assists last season. Anaya was named to the 2023 All-MVC First Team, with Terry earning all-conference second-team honors.
• In all, BGSU returned six of last year's top-seven scorers.
• Graves is back in goal in '24 after starting every match a year ago. In fact, Graves has played every second of the Falcons' last 48 matches – a total of 4,340 minutes. No other BGSU 'keeper has been between the posts since Oct. 22, 2021.
HOME COOKIN'
• Head coach Eric Nichols and the Falcons have made Cochrane Stadium a difficult place to play for the opponents. In the last decade (plus three games) – since the start of the 2014 season – BGSU has a record of 50-15-15 (.719) in home games.
• Since Nichols took the helm prior to the 2009 season, the Falcons have a record of 66-31-22 at home.
ROAD WARRIORS
• Before the month of August had ended, the Falcons had doubled the road win total for all of last season. BGSU went 1-6-2 away from home in 2023, but the '24 Falcons began the road portion of the schedule with a 1-0 win over Michigan State (Aug. 26), then went to IU Indy and came away with a 4-1 victory (Aug. 30-31).
• After Saturday's win at Bradley, the Falcons now have a 3-1-1 road record this season.
THE OPPONENTS
• Eastern Illinois enters Tuesday's match with an overall record of 1-3-1. The Panthers opened the season with a 3-0 win over the University of Chicago, and after setbacks to Detroit Mercy, Purdue Fort Wayne and Evansville, played Wright State to a 2-2 draw on the road last Tuesday (Sept. 17). Sam Eccles has team-leading totals of three assists and five points, while Jackson Liley's four points include an EIU-best two goals. Chad Smith has started four of the team's five matches in goal and has 18 saves, one shutout and a 2.29 GAA. Josh Oakley is in his third season as EIU head coach. The team went 4-10-5 overall and 3-5-2 in Ohio Valley Conference play in 2023.
• Belmont is 2-3-3 overall and 0-1-1 in the MVC, heading into Friday's match at Cochrane. The Bruins opened league play with a 1-1 draw against then No. 4 Western Michigan, before dropping a 4-0 decision at Drake on Sunday (Sept. 22). AJ Chastonay leads the club with five goals and 12 points, while Grant Calvert has played every second in goal and has 14 saves, two clean sheets and a 1.50 GAA. Head coach David Costa returned seven players who have earned conference recognition at some point in their careers. Last year's club went 8-7-3 overall and 3-4-1 in the MVC.
THE SERIES
• BGSU leads Eastern Illinois, 3-1-1, in the all-time series, and the teams are meeting for the first time in a decade. The last matchup saw BG win, 3-1, at Cochrane Stadium (Sept. 19, 2014). The Falcons are 2-1-0 at home, 1-0-0 on the road and 0-1-1 in neutral-site meetings with the Panthers through the years.
• BGSU trails Belmont, 2-0-0, in that series, and Friday marks the Bruins' first-ever visit to Cochrane. Belmont captured a 2-1 win in Nashville last year. That marked the teams' first meeting since 2011, when the host Bruins had also posted a one-goal win.
UP NEXT
• Following the Belmont match, the Falcons will open the October schedule with a trip to Chicago, facing UIC on Saturday night, Oct. 5.
• Then, the Orange and Brown will prepare for two home matches, facing Detroit Mercy (Oct. 8) and Drake (Oct. 12) in a pair of 7:00 p.m. starts at Cochrane.
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), and on the web at BGSUFalcons.com.
Players Mentioned
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/ Men's SoccerOff The Pitch: Andrew Shaffer (Sept. 11, 2025)
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