White's Goal Helps Falcons Battle Broncos to a 1-1 Draw Sunday

Sunday, September 21

Bowling Green, Ohio

1 p.m.

Bowling Green State University

6-1-3, 1-0-2

Western Michigan

5-2-1, 1-0-1

Western Mich.

Bowling Green

Lexi White (center) scored her first collegiate goal late in the first half

Photo by: Drake Harlett, BGSU Athletics

September 21, 2025 | Women's Soccer

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Falcons share the points with the defending MAC champion

By: by Mike Cihon, BGSU Strategic Communications

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – The Bowling Green State University women's soccer team battled the preseason Mid-American Conference favorite to a draw on Sunday afternoon (Sept. 21), as the Falcons and Western Michigan University played to a 1-1 final at Cochrane Stadium.

In a match with a tournament feel, junior Lexi White scored her first career goal for the Falcons (6-1-3, 1-0-2 MAC), canceling out an Avery Peters goal for the Broncos (5-2-1, 1-0-1 MAC).

The match extended several impressive streaks for both teams. BGSU is now undefeated in the last eight matches, dating to August 17, and the Falcons continue the best start in program history.

The Broncos are now undefeated in their last 25 MAC regular-season matches, dating to late in the 2022 season. Overall, WMU saw a five-match winning streak come to an end, but the Broncos are unbeaten in six-straight games after losses to a pair of nationally-ranked team to start the season.

Peters scored in the 16th minute for the Broncos, who had had the upper hand in the opening portion of the match. But, the Falcons rallied after that goal, and BGSU broke through in the 39th minute, when White got her head on an Emme Butera corner kick at the far post.

The match featured 35 fouls and seven yellow cards. Western Michigan had advantages in total shots (10-5), shots on goal (6-4) and corner kicks (5-3). The Broncos committed 24 fouls to the Falcons' 11, and Western had four of the game's seven cards.

Sophomore Payton O'Malley had five saves on Sunday, while the Broncos' Reagan Sulaver made three stops.

NOTE OF THE DAY
• The Falcons, as mentioned, are now 6-1-3 on the season, continuing the best start in program history.
• Prior to this season, the best 10-game start in program history was set by the 1998 team (6-3-1).
• The 2025 season is the 29th in the history of the program, which began in 1997.

ALSO NOTEWORTHY
• The Falcons are now 5-0-3 in the last eight matches, since BGSU's lone loss of the season (1-0 vs. Illinois on Aug. 17). BG's current unbeaten streak is the third longest in school history.
• The school record is an 11-match unbeaten streak (9-0-2) by the 2005 team. The 2018 Falcons had a 10-match unbeaten streak (9-0-1), while both the 2007 (5-0-2) and 2019 teams (7-0-0) each had seven-game streaks.
• Three of those four teams – the 2005, '18 and '19 clubs – went on to win MAC championships.

ADDITIONAL FALCON NOTES
• Junior Lexi White, as mentioned, scored the first goal of her collegiate career on Sunday.
• Classmate Emme Butera's assist was her second in as many matches, her third of the year and the sixth of her career. She now has 10 career points.
• The Falcons trail Western Michigan, 18-11-4, in the all-time series. But, BGSU is 4-1-3 vs. the Broncos in the last eight meetings.
• The Falcons and Broncos are a combined 11-3-4 this season, with the only losses coming to Illinois, Notre Dame and Iowa. BG's last loss came on Aug. 17, while Western has not lost since Aug. 24.

HOW IT HAPPENED
• The Broncos broke through in the 16th minute of the match. Drew Martin worked against a BG defender on the right side, and slid a pass to Avery Peters in the box. Martin's pass was deflected by a BG defender, but still reached Peters, who quickly settled the ball and fired a shot into the far lower corner of the net.
• Nearly 24 minutes into the game, a Bronco corner kick was headed back across the box to Peters, who hit a volley from approximately 12 yards out. Payton O'Malley, however, kept the Broncos from doubling the lead with a diving save.
• With almost a half hour gone, Taylor Green was fouled by Peters, one of Western's 24 fouls (and also one of the Broncos' four cards) on the day. Emme Butera took the ensuing free kick from several yards outside the penalty area on the left side. Butera put the ball on frame and Reagan Sulaver made the stop, but allowed a rebound. Emily Hollar pounced on that rebound and fired a quick shot, but Sulaver was able to block that point-blank effort as well.
• O'Malley and the Falcons kept it a one-goal game, as the sophomore 'keeper stopped a shot by Brianna Langelaan with nine minutes left in the half, before Justina L'Esperance headed a teammate's cross over the bar two minutes later. But, the next shot would come at the other end of the field, and the Falcons would make it count.
• Lizzie Bultynck took an Ellie Pool pass and won a corner with just under seven minutes to go in the half. Butera's corner kick found Lexi White at the far post, and the junior put a header on frame. The shot was knocked off of a Bronco defender, but it appeared the ball had already crossed the goal line before the deflection. White's first collegiate goal tied the score with just over six minutes left in the half.
• As the match reached the hour mark, Isabella Mazzaferro made a run down the right side of the field and hit a crossing ball into the box. The ball was just out of reach of three teammates, however, and went through the box and over the goal line on the other side.
• Midway through the second half, a foul on the Falcons gave the Broncos a free kick just a few yards outside the 18-yard box, but Western's ensuing free kick sailed well over the bar.
• With eight minutes to go, Mazzaferro stole the ball and won a corner. Off of that Butera kick, Gabby Lamparty outleaped several players to head the ball toward the right post, but the shot was blocked at the goal line, and the Broncos were able to clear it away.

UP NEXT
• The Falcons will be back at Cochrane Stadium next Sunday (Sept. 28), taking on Central Michigan in a 1:00 p.m. start. Admission is free to all BGSU home soccer action.
• Then, the Orange and Brown will open the month of October with a pair of short trips north, taking on Toledo on Thursday, Oct. 2, and Eastern Michigan three days later (Sunday, Oct. 5).

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.