.png&type=webp)
Sunday, August 17
Bowling Green, Ohio
1 p.m.
Bowling Green State University
1-1-0, 0-0-0
0
vs
1
Illinois
2-0-0, 0-0-0
1
2
F
Illinois
0
1
1
Bowling Green
0
0
0
Photo by: Drake Harlett, BGSU Athletics
Falcons Fall Just Short Against Illinois, 1-0
August 17, 2025 | Women's Soccer
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – Sydney Stephens scored in the 55th minute to lift the University of Illinois to a 1-0 win over the Bowling Green State University women's soccer team Sunday afternoon (Aug. 17), in non-conference action at Cochrane Stadium.
Payton O'Malley made five saves in goal, including several spectacular stops, for the Falcons (1-1-0). Izzy Lee had three saves for the Fighting Illini (2-0-0).
There was nothing O'Malley could do to stop the strike by Stephens on the game's lone goal. She took a pass from Ashlyn Adams as she headed toward the penalty area. Then, Stephens cut the ball back along the 18-yard line and hit a left-footed shot that glanced off the underside of the crossbar, hit the ground just behind the goal line before bouncing back up and finding the netting just behind the bar.
Lizzie Bultynck had three of the Falcons' five shots in the match, with all three shots coming in a frenetic four-minute span for the junior. Bultynck had two of her team's shots on goal in the match.
HOW IT HAPPENED
• Fifteen minutes into the match, junior Ella Kane received a pass on the right sideline, just over midfield, and made a long run. She worked her way past three Illini defenders and fired a low shot from the semicircle at the top of the 18, but Izzy Lee was able to dive to her left to make the save.
• At the half-hour mark, Isabella Mazzaferro played a cross from right to left across the six-yard line. Fellow junior Lizzie Bultnyck raced between two Illini players to meet the ball near the back post, but her shot went just wide.
• Less than a minute later, Payton O'Malley made an impressive stop on Ashlyn Adams, who had broken into the box on the right side after a BG defender slipped. Adams fired a hard shot, but O'Malley parried the ball away.
• The end-to-end action continued as Bultynck fired another shot less than 30 seconds later. She ran onto a wayward backpass by Illinois near midfield. The junior again split a pair of players as she raced toward goal. At the 18-yard line, she hit a low shot, and this time Lee had to dive to her right to get a glove on the ball, and a defender cleared it away.
• Bultynck was at it again soon after. Alexis Tsaprailis played a ball forward to the junior, who cut behind a pair of defenders, cleverly cut to her left and fired a shot across her body. Again, however, Lee was able to make a diving stop.
• Mazzaferro and the Falcons won a corner kick with just 30 seconds remaining in the half, and that short corner resulted in a diagonal ball into the box by junior Emme Butera. Sophomore Haley Wolf kept the ball alive at the end line and put it back across the danger zone, and Jayna Searles blocked an attempted clearing attempt and quickly fired a shot, but the ball went over the bar as the final seconds ticked away.
• Stephens and the Illini got on the board just under 10 minutes into the second half, for what would prove to be the winning goal.Â
• Just under 16 minutes remained when, after an Illinois corner kick, O'Malley made a diving save to deny a header by Cayla Jackson. Illinois put the ball back into the box, but another Jackson shot went high.
UP NEXT
• The Falcons will be back in action on Thursday (Aug. 21), as Cleveland State University comes to Cochrane. First touch for that match – the first half of a doubleheader – is set for 4:00 p.m., and admission is free.
• Then, the Orange and Brown will hit the road for the first time on the season, heading to the Motor City for a matchup vs. Detroit Mercy on the following Thursday (Aug. 28).
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.
Â
Payton O'Malley made five saves in goal, including several spectacular stops, for the Falcons (1-1-0). Izzy Lee had three saves for the Fighting Illini (2-0-0).
There was nothing O'Malley could do to stop the strike by Stephens on the game's lone goal. She took a pass from Ashlyn Adams as she headed toward the penalty area. Then, Stephens cut the ball back along the 18-yard line and hit a left-footed shot that glanced off the underside of the crossbar, hit the ground just behind the goal line before bouncing back up and finding the netting just behind the bar.
Lizzie Bultynck had three of the Falcons' five shots in the match, with all three shots coming in a frenetic four-minute span for the junior. Bultynck had two of her team's shots on goal in the match.
HOW IT HAPPENED
• Fifteen minutes into the match, junior Ella Kane received a pass on the right sideline, just over midfield, and made a long run. She worked her way past three Illini defenders and fired a low shot from the semicircle at the top of the 18, but Izzy Lee was able to dive to her left to make the save.
• At the half-hour mark, Isabella Mazzaferro played a cross from right to left across the six-yard line. Fellow junior Lizzie Bultnyck raced between two Illini players to meet the ball near the back post, but her shot went just wide.
• Less than a minute later, Payton O'Malley made an impressive stop on Ashlyn Adams, who had broken into the box on the right side after a BG defender slipped. Adams fired a hard shot, but O'Malley parried the ball away.
• The end-to-end action continued as Bultynck fired another shot less than 30 seconds later. She ran onto a wayward backpass by Illinois near midfield. The junior again split a pair of players as she raced toward goal. At the 18-yard line, she hit a low shot, and this time Lee had to dive to her right to get a glove on the ball, and a defender cleared it away.
• Bultynck was at it again soon after. Alexis Tsaprailis played a ball forward to the junior, who cut behind a pair of defenders, cleverly cut to her left and fired a shot across her body. Again, however, Lee was able to make a diving stop.
• Mazzaferro and the Falcons won a corner kick with just 30 seconds remaining in the half, and that short corner resulted in a diagonal ball into the box by junior Emme Butera. Sophomore Haley Wolf kept the ball alive at the end line and put it back across the danger zone, and Jayna Searles blocked an attempted clearing attempt and quickly fired a shot, but the ball went over the bar as the final seconds ticked away.
• Stephens and the Illini got on the board just under 10 minutes into the second half, for what would prove to be the winning goal.Â
• Just under 16 minutes remained when, after an Illinois corner kick, O'Malley made a diving save to deny a header by Cayla Jackson. Illinois put the ball back into the box, but another Jackson shot went high.
UP NEXT
• The Falcons will be back in action on Thursday (Aug. 21), as Cleveland State University comes to Cochrane. First touch for that match – the first half of a doubleheader – is set for 4:00 p.m., and admission is free.
• Then, the Orange and Brown will hit the road for the first time on the season, heading to the Motor City for a matchup vs. Detroit Mercy on the following Thursday (Aug. 28).
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.
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Team Stats
UofI
BGSU
Goals
1
0
Shots
14
5
Shots on Goal
6
3
Saves
3
5
Corners
3
3
Fouls
8
10
Scoring Plays
Sydney Stephens (1)
Assisted By: Ashlyn Adams
GOAL by UofI Stephens, Sydney Assist by Adams, Ashlyn.
54:39
Game Leaders
Players
Shots
3
SOG
2
Goals
0
Assists
0
Shots
1
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
0
Players Mentioned
F
/ Women's Soccer
M
/ Women's Soccer
F
/ Women's Soccer
GK
/ Women's SoccerD
/ Women's Soccer
M
/ Women's Soccer
D
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