Falcons, Zips Play to a 1-1 Draw Sunday Afternoon in Akron

Sunday, September 20

Akron, Ohio

1 p.m.

Bowling Green State University

4-1-3, 0-0-2

Akron

4-4-1, 0-1-1

Team	1	2	Final F
Bowling Green	1	0	1
Akron	0	1	1

Alexis Tsaprailis at Akron | Sept. 20, 2026

September 20, 2026 | Women's Soccer

Box Score

Northeast Ohio native Mahoney scores for BGSU

By: by Mike Cihon, BGSU Strategic Communications

AKRON, Ohio – The University of Akron got a late goal to salvage a 1-1 draw with the Bowling Green State University women's soccer team on Sunday afternoon (Sept. 20) at FirstEnergy Stadium.

Junior Lauren Mahoney, a native of nearby Medina, scored late in the first half for the Falcons (4-1-3, 0-0-2 Mid-American Conference). But, Akron's Rachel Wenzel blocked an attempted clearance with 9:06 left in the match to knot the score for the Zips (4-4-1, 0-1-1 MAC).

Here's that Lauren Mahoney goal late in the first half...#AyZiggy 🟠⚽️🟤 pic.twitter.com/UQLIksxooB
— BGSU Women's Soccer (@BGSU_WSoccer) September 20, 2026

The Falcons had advantages of 17-7 in total shot attempts, 7-2 in shots on goal and 5-2 in corner kicks, and BGSU controlled the match for much of the 90 minutes before the teams wound up sharing the points.

Each team had a quality chance in the first half. After a giveaway in the BGSU defensive third of the field, Akron's Hattie Yugovich hit a one-timer that struck the crossbar and bounded away.

Near the half-hour mark, Ella Kane made a long run down the left side of the field, beating her defender and sliding a low cross into the center of the box. Minah Syam met the ball and hit a one-time effort that was stopped by UA goalkeeper Sara Bower. The match was immediately stopped for a review, but that review determined that Syam's shot was saved before crossing the goal line, and the match remained scoreless.

Ten minutes prior to that play, Kane had stolen the ball and, after a combination play with Lizzie Bultynck, hit a shot that slid just wide of the far post.

With eight-and-a-half minutes to go before halftime, BGSU took the lead. Defender Taylor Green took an outlet pass from goalkeeper Payton O'Malley, and the senior captain made a long run into Akron territory. Green sent a ball into the box, where Mahoney and Olivia McCuen vied for position with a pair of UA defenders.

McCuen was first to touch the ball, settling it just outside the six-yard line. As the four players all battled for possession, Mahoney was able to poke the ball away from a defender, then knock it into the lower-right corner of the goal as she was taken to the ground. BGSU took that 1-0 lead into the half.

The Falcons had 10 second-half shots and numerous close calls, but could not add to the one-goal lead. Then, with just over nine minutes remaining, the Zips scored the equalizer.

As UA looked to move into the 18-yard box, a BG defender passed the ball back to O'Malley. The BGSU 'keeper attempted to clear the ball with Rachel Wenzel bearing down upon her, but Wenzel was able to leap and block the ball, and the deflection carried into the vacated net.

Each team had several more chances after that, including a shot by Kane that went just wide of the far post with one minute left, but the score remained the same.

Bower had five saves for the Zips, who were also credited with a team save, while O'Malley had one stop for the Orange and Brown.

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 31 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).
• BGSU is now unbeaten in the last 12 road matches (6-0-6). The Falcons, 2-0-2 on the road this season, have not lost a true road game since a 1-0 setback at Ohio in the quarterfinal round of the 2024 MAC Tournament (Nov. 3, 2024).
• Junior Lauren Mahoney's goal was the third of her career, and the first since her freshman season. She scored a pair of goals in her collegiate debut, a win over Detroit Mercy in August of 2024.

UP NEXT
• The Falcons return to the road next weekend, heading to Mount Pleasant, Mich., to face Central Michigan on Saturday afternoon (Sept. 26). That game is set for a 1:00 p.m. start at the CMU Soccer/Lacrosse Complex.
• Then, the Orange and Brown will begin the month of October by meeting Massachusetts on Thursday, Oct. 1. That contest will begin at 3:00 p.m. at Cochrane Stadium, and admission is free.

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.