Falcons, EMU Share the Points in Scoreless MAC Opener

Thursday, September 17

Bowling Green, Ohio

7 p.m.

Bowling Green State University

4-1-2, 0-0-1

Eastern Michigan

2-1-4, 0-0-1

Team	1	2	Final F
Eastern Mich.	0	0	0
Bowling Green	0	0	0

Photo by: Drake Harlett, BGSU Athletics

September 17, 2026 | Women's Soccer

Box Score Photo Gallery

BGSU back line records fifth clean sheet this season

By: by Mike Cihon, BGSU Strategic Communications

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – The Bowling Green State University women's soccer team opened the Mid-American Conference schedule on Thursday night (Sept. 17), battling Eastern Michigan University to a scoreless draw at Cochrane Stadium.

The Falcons (4-1-2, 0-0-1 MAC) held a 13-9 advantage in shot attempts, but could not find the back of the net in the conference opener. Ella Holland made two saves for the Eagles (2-1-4, 0-0-1 MAC), while EMU was credited with a team save as a defender cleared a Gabby Lamparty header off of the goal line in the second half.

Payton O'Malley made three saves to earn the clean sheet. BGSU has recorded five shutouts in seven matches this season to date.

Thursday's outcome marked Eastern Michigan's fourth scoreless draw of the season, all on the road. Among those matches was a nil-nil tie at Michigan State on Aug. 27. The Spartans are currently the number-one ranked team in the country in the United Soccer Coaches poll.

NOTE OF THE NIGHT: EVEN STEVEN
• The Falcons and Eastern Michigan are tied, 15-15-5, in the all-time series. The series is tied at Cochrane Stadium (now 7-7-3) and in Ypsilanti (8-8-2), and the teams have now played to a draw in each of the last three seasons.

ALSO NOTEWORTHY
• BGSU was the only NCAA Division-I program in the nation to go the entire 2025 season without ever allowing more than one goal in a match. BGSU's streak – the longest in the nation – is now at 30 games. The last time the Falcons allowed multiple goals in a match came in the final 2024 regular-season contest, at Kent State (a 4-2 loss on Oct. 31, 2024).
• Junior Payton O'Malley picked up her second-straight shutout, and the 13th complete-match shutout of her BGSU career on Thursday night. She has a goals-against average of just 0.36 this season, and improved her career GAA to a BGSU record-low 0.79.
• As a team, the Falcons have a GAA of 0.29 in 2026, having allowed just two goals in seven matches to date.
• Freshman Mia Ugarte made the first start of her young collegiate career on Thursday night.
• Overall, BGSU is now 55-15-17 at Cochrane Stadium since the beginning of the 2017 season.

UP NEXT
• The Falcons take to the road for the next two matches, beginning with a Sunday (Sept. 20) contest at Akron. That game begins at 1:00 p.m. at FirstEnergy Stadium.
• Then, BGSU will head to Central Michigan to meet the Chippewas on Saturday, Sept. 26. The Falcons' next match at Cochrane Stadium is a matinee against Massachusetts on Thursday, Oct. 1. That contest will begin at 3:00 p.m., and admission is free.

Gallery: (9-17-2026) 091726 wsoc v EMU - Drake Harlett

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.