Starting off a season 5-0 is fantastic, but following that up with a 0-4 slide is less than ideal. The Bowling Green State University soccer team lost to the Ohio State Buckeyes 1-0 Friday night in Columbus.
The Falcons are now past the brutal part of their schedule where they faced three ranked opponents in four games, including games against the number one and number six teams in the nation. Those three games against ranked opponents were all also on the road.
Three minutes into this one, senior forward Keaton Reynolds put pressure on an Ohio State defender, forcing a bad pass that made the Buckeye goalie come out and kick the ball out of play.
At the 10 minute mark sophomore goalkeeper Anthony Mwembia made a diving save after Ohio State showed off some pretty passing, ending with a quick shot on net.
At the 40 minute mark, it was evident emotions were running high as freshman midfielder Zach Buescher got his name on the scoresheet, but for the wrong reason. After being taken down, and with no call forthcoming, he protested the call to an official, which resulted in a yellow card.
The game was 0-0 at the half. At the 69 minute mark, junior defender Dominic Grida sent a cross to Reynolds, who in turn dished the ball to senior forward Brad Macomber on the right side. After a misdirection, freshman midfielder Chris Sullivan found himself with the ball only 12 yards out and fired a shot that was saved by a diving Buckeye netminder.
“I think we had two good defensive teams,” Falcons head coach Eric Nichols said. “Frankly I thought that game was destined for 0-0.”
At the 73 minute mark, the Falcons got their best chance of the game to go up as sophomore forward Chris Brennan rocketed a shot that sent the Ohio State goalkeeper leaping only to narrowly tip the ball past past the goalpost.
“I thought for sure there was twice where I thought Chris was going to put them in,” Nichols said.
Finally, at the 80 minute mark, one team pushed through, but it wasn’t the Falcons. Ohio State was awarded a penalty kick and sent the ball home in the lower left corner.
At the 89 minute mark Macomber got the final shot of the game for the Falcons, but it was saved by the Buckeye goalkeeper.
“We were missing just that extra degree that I thought it was gonna take in this one,” Coach Nichols said.
The Falcons next matchup is Wednesday night at home against the Dusquesne Dukes.
