Falcons Clinch MAC Tournament Berth with 1-1 Draw at Ohio

Thursday, October 19

Athens, OH

3:00PM

Bowling Green State University

10-5-1, 5-3-1

Ohio

7-8-2, 4-3-2

OT 1

OT 2

Bowling Green

Ohio

October 19, 2017 | Women's Soccer

Box Score

By: by Matthew Daley, Athletic Communicationis Assistant

LINKS
BGSU-Ohio Box Score (PDF)
BGSU-Ohio Box Score (Enhanced)
Updated BGSU Statistics
MAC Women's Soccer Statistics
NCAA Women's Soccer Statistics
2017 BGSU Record Book
Kent State Women's Soccer (next opponent)

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio. -- The drought is finally over. For the first time since 2008, the Bowling Green State University women's soccer team is going to the Mid-American Conference Tournament. The Falcons clinched that elusive berth by earning a 1-1 draw with Ohio University on Thursday afternoon (Oct. 19) in Athens, Ohio. Madison Schupbach scored the team's lone goal, as BGSU's record moved to 10-5-1 overall and 5-3-1 in the MAC.

Bowling Green took the lead quickly against the Bobcats. In the 12th minute, Ohio goalkeeper Erin Beurket attempted to throw the ball to one of the Bobcats' outside backs. Schupbach stole the pass and beat Beurket on her left side from 20 yards out for the goal. The Falcons did not permit a shot on goal in the first 45 minutes and took their 1-0 lead to halftime.

Schupbach had a chance to double the lead two minutes into the second half, but Beurket made the save. From there, Ohio's offense spent much of the second half pressuring Falcon goalkeeper Victoria Cope. Shortly after Beurket's save, Cope stopped a Sara Kattainen shot, but that resulted in a corner kick. Kattainen took the kick and sent the ball into the box, where Alivia Milesky headed it past Cope for the equalizer just 3:56 into the second half.

Cope and Beurket were sturdy for the remainder of regulation and stopped a combined nine shots, including six by Cope. That sent the game to overtime even at 1-1. In the first extra frame, Skylar Fleak and Rachel Winters each sent shots high while Ohio did not take a shot. In the second, the Bobcats sent one shot high, then Cope saved a header from Rami Eades with 18 seconds left to preserve the draw.

COACH SAYS...
Following the game, BGSU head coach Matt Fannon said, "We played well today. We had chances to win the game but weren't quite clinical enough."

NOTE OF THE DAY: TOURNEY TIME
This will be the Falcons' first shot at the MAC Tournament in nine years, but they were an annual fixture at the event prior to their drought. From 1998-2008, BGSU competed in the tournament nine times in 11 years, including seven years in a row from 2002-2008. In those nine appearances, the Falcons were 15-7 with two tournament championships. They advanced past the semifinal round eight out of nine times and played in the championship game five times. Bowling Green won back-to-back titles in 2004 and 2005.

STAT PACK
-- Madison Schupbach scored her personal-best fourth goal of the season.
-- Schupbach has set new highs with four goals, six assists and 14 points in 2017 and has career totals of 10, 12, and 32.
-- Schupbach has earned two goals and three assists for a total of seven points in her last three games.
-- Victoria Cope made eight saves, all in the second half or overtime, to set a new personal record.
-- In 15 games (9-5-3), Cope has 46 saves in 1320:33 for a 1.23 goals against average and .719 save percentage.
-- Skylar Fleak (six) and Erica Hubert (four) led the Falcons in shots. Both also had two shots on goal.
-- Jennifer Reyes took two shots, while Rachel Winters and Sophia Barnes each added one.
-- Mikaela Couch and Maureen Kennedy had one shot apiece in reserve action.
-- Cope, Alexis Fricke, and Morgan Abbitt each played the full 110 minutes.
-- Reyes, Winters, Barnes, Fleak, Hubert, and Nikhita Jacob all played 90+ minutes.
-- Total shots: BGSU 19, Ohio 17
-- Shots on goal: Ohio 9, BGSU 8
-- Corner kicks: Ohio 7, BGSU 2
-- Fouls: BGSU 14, Ohio 6
-- Offsides: Ohio 6, BGSU 2

UP NEXT
Bowling Green battles the top team in the Mid-American Conference at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday (Oct. 22) when the Falcons travel to Kent, Ohio to face the Kent State Golden Flashes. Kent State improved to 12-4-1 overall and 8-1 in the MAC with a 1-0 victory over Toledo. Vital Kats scored in the 23rd minute for her fifth goal of the season. It was the fourth straight 1-0 win for KSU, and six of their eight MAC wins have been of that variety. They have allowed just two goals against MAC opponents and only nine total in 17 games.

UPDATED MAC POINTS STANDINGS
1. Kent State 24 (8-1-0)
2. Ball State 22 (7-1-1)
3. Bowling Green 16 (5-3-1)
4. Northern Illinois 15 (5-4-0)
5. Toledo 14 (4-3-2)
5. Ohio 14 (4-3-2)
7. Buffalo 13 (4-4-1)
8. Western Michigan 10 (3-5-1)
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9. Eastern Michigan 9 (3-6-0)
10. Central Michigan 8 (2-5-2)
11. Miami 7 (2-6-1)
12. Akron 4 (1-7-1)