In their first game since October 11, the BGSU men’s soccer team came out rusty and the University of Akron made them pay for it, handing them a 4-1 defeat. The defeat marked the sixth loss in seven games for the Falcons at home.
The Zips started the first half scoring onslaught in the seventh minute, when forward Pablo Moreira found midfielder/forward Steve Kalan streaking up the right side, and Kalan was able to beat BG goal keeper Paul Shoemaker for the goal.
“I thought we came out with energy and that’s the key,” said Akron coach Caleb Porter. “We were aggressive. Defensively we were aggressive – getting numbers behind the ball. Offensively we wanted to be aggressive and put pressure on them and we finished our chances well.”
Akron notched their second goal of the game in the 32nd minute when Moreira was able find the net. The play was set up by Rostand Erlichman, whose shot deflected off Shoemaker and Moreira was in the right place at the right time for the goal.
The Zips just kept coming at BG and was to put another goal on the board in the 39th minute. Midfielder/Forward Ben Zemanski took advantage of a scramble after a Zip corner kick and was able to connect for the goal from 20 yards out.
Akron concluded the first half with one more goal in the 44th minute. Midfielder/Forward Matt Tutich took a pass Vedran Ilic and was able to roll the ball past the outstretched arms of Shoemaker.
“We hadn’t played in 10 days and you could see we obviously had a lot of rust on us that we couldn’t get knocked off in training,” said BG coach Fred Thompson. “It just took us a while to get going.”
After being dominated in just about every phase of the game in the first half, BG looked like a different team that had shaken off its rust.
BG’s first real scoring threat came when midfielder/forward Justin Kim rifled a shot on goal but Akron goal keeper Evan Bush was able to make his first of four second half saves.
The Falcons were forced to play a man down for the final 22 minutes after midfielder/forward Alec Perea received a red card for tackling Akron’s Matt Tutich from behind.
Even though they were a man down, BG was able to find pay dirt when forward George Davis was able to convert his second goal of the season with about 10 minutes left to play in the game.
“I saw Cameron when he received the ball – the ball popped out to the top of the box,” Davis said. “As soon as I saw him get it to his feet, I just made a diagonal run behind the backs. It was a nice little chip – I saw the keeper come out and I was able to beat him.”
The Falcons had one more opportunity as Bush, Akron’s keeper, almost misplayed a ball off the foot into goal but he recovered and made the save.
“I was feeling pretty ambitious there,” Davis said. “I felt good about the shot so I thought I’d have a rip and it almost went in.”
BG will conclude its season on the road with tilts against IFPW and Western Michigan and Thompson feels those two games are critical for the team.
“We have to win these next two games,” Thompson said. “If we win these next two games, we probably have a chance of hosting the play in game.”
The Falcons traveled to IFPW yesterday and took the defeat at the hands of the Mastodons 2-1. The full recap in tomorrow’s paper.
