In the first game of the season, the Falcons did something they have not done since 1999, when they started the season 1-0.

The Falcons defeated Western Illinois 2-1 in overtime on a game-winning goal by forward Ahmad Smith.

“It was a good opening game,” said coach Fred Thompson. “That was really the first experience of something like this for half our team because half our team is freshmen and we also have many key players who are freshmen and sophomores.”

BG gained a man advantage in the 18th minute when forward Ahmad Smith collided with Western Illinois goalkeeper Zach Mazjag and Mazjag was given a red card on the play. Mazjag had to be carted off the field with a left leg injury.

With the one-man advantage, BG took control by dominating much of the play in the first half. The Falcons out-shot the Leathernecks eight to one in the first half and had many opportunities to score including one from midfielder Justin Kim that caromed off the crossbar.

“As soon as I hit it, I basically felt like it was going in,” Kim said. “The ball was moving, it was rattling and it looked like the keeper didn’t know what to do.”

While BG had many scoring opportunities in the first half, they were not able to put it in the back of the net until a goal by Kim off of a header by Jacob Lawrence in the opening minutes of the second half.

“Jacob was there backside and got the header on net and it just deflected off the keeper and I was just there to put it in” Kim said.

While BG seemed to dominate play for most of the game, they gave up a goal to Preston Brenardi of the Leathernecks late in the second half to tie the game.

“All of sudden they realized we’re up a goal, we’re up a man and you know what, let me relax a little bit,” Thompson said.

BG regrouped to take their opening game of the Falcon Classic, winning in overtime on Smith’s goal to beat backup goalkeeper Stephen Patterson.

“The second keeper should have seen that this kid is pretty quick and maybe I can’t come out and get that,” Thompson said.

To conclude the Falcon Classic, the Falcons lost 2-1 to the Eastern Illinois Panthers in front of the home fans at Mickey Cochran Field.

BG took the lead in the 31st minute, when Smith connected on penalty kick goal past Eastern Illinois goalkeeper Mark Hansen. Smith was fouled on a breakaway to set up the goal.

The Panthers came out and tied the game in the opening minutes of the second when forward Brad Peters beat BG goalkeeper Paul Shoemaker.

“They had a tough result yesterday, but they came back out today and fought really hard. In the first half, I thought we were on top of them pretty good – even with that in mind they just kept fighting. They deserved that victory,” Thompson said.

The Panthers dominated possession in the second half and eventually took the lead on midfielder Mick Galeski’s goal in the 86th minute.

“They came right down the heart of our defense and that’s something we’ve been working on,” Thompson said. “That should never happen, so let’s just say there were some mental and physical breakdowns that we will be talking about after I look at the video.”

With such a young team (21 freshmen/sophomores), games like this will happen but Thompson hopes that the team will learn from these types of games and move on.

“We are a young team and changing their mindsets, changing their habits is very difficult,” Thompson said. “They’re going to have start to change. If this is what takes, then this what it takes.”

Western Illinois was the overall tournament winner and had five players on the all-tournament team. BG placed forward Ahmad Smith, midfielder Tyler Deal and defenseman Jacob Lawrence on the team.

The Falcons travel to Myrtle Beach, SC to take on Coastal Carolina on Friday, Sept. 1 at 7 p.m. and Furman on Sunday, Sept. 3 at 12:30 p.m.

The Falcons will next be in front of the home fans Sunday, Sept. 17 to take on Wright State at 2 p.m. Before Wright State, the Falcons are taking on Saint Mary’s and Sacramento State in Moraga, California, and then the Buckeyes in Columbus.