Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
MICHIGAN STATE
BGSU Falls at #24 Michigan State
October 03, 2007 | Men's Soccer
Oct. 3, 2007
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Bowling Green State University (3-6-1) held #24 Michigan State (7-0-2) to a goal but was unable to convert one of their own as the Falcons fell 1-0 in East Lansing, Mich. this afternoon.
The game winning goal came in the 36th minute of the match when Louis Stephens put the finishing touch on the volley from Kevin Reiman's free kick.
Bowling Green looked as if they would later cash in on their own goal when Abiola Sandy took a hard crossing shot from 28-yards out, but despite making it past the MSU defense, Sandy's ball deflected off the scoring structure and took an MSU bounce away from the goal.
"Abby's shot was an absolute bomb," said head coach Fred Thompson. "We were all ready to congratulate him on the goal, but then it spun out back towards play instead of spinning into the net."
Sandy led the Falcons with three shots on the day and was one of three BGSU players to put one dangerously close on the path of scoring.
"We created some chances of our own under the MSU pressure, but their ability to transition into an offensive set piece is phenomenal. MSU carries a pair of strong fowards in the starting line-up and then another two on the bench who do not give up anything when they enter the game."
The BGSU defense held MSU's top scoring threats, Doug DeMartin and Kenzo Webster silent holding the two to a combined two shots on goal and four shots on the day. State finished the game with four total shots on goal, three of which resulted as Paul Shoemaker saves.
In holding the 24th overall ranking, State becomes the second nationally recognized program the Falcons have encountered this season. Ohio State, who has since fallen from the top 25 but is still receiving votes, entered the Sept. 20 match as the 19th ranked program in Division I soccer. Similarly to today's outcome, OSU bested the Orange and Brown, 1-0.
The Falcons will also face back-to-back powerhouses at #16 Michigan and Akron (RV) on Oct. 17 and Oct. 20, respectively.
"Man, I need to speak with the man who made our schedule and give him a piece of my mind," said the scheduler himself, Thompson.
"In all seriousness, as a team we need to work out a few details in our game and what better way to prepare for the conference and work out those details than competing with the top teams not only in our region, but in the country."
"We embrace our role, not as the `underdog' or `giant killer', but we think we have a chance to compete with any team on any given day."
Bowling Green will return home to face IPFW on Sunday afternoon at 4:00 p.m. and will travel south to Cincinnati on Wednesday, October 10.
#BGSU SOCCER#
