One more conference win is all that stands between the Bowling Green men’s soccer team and the opportunity to play for the Mid-American Conference tournament crown. Two conference wins are all that stand between the Falcons and a trip to the NCAA tournament.
After defeating Akron 1-0 on Sunday at Cochrane Field for the regular season MAC championship, the Falcons earned the No. 1 seed in the MAC tournament.
BG will have a bye in the first round of the tournament and will play the winner of the No. 4 seed vs. No. 5 seed game. Coach Mel Mahler said the team would probably face either Buffalo or Kentucky based on the incomplete league standings. Kentucky will play Akron tomorrow evening. The first two rounds of the tournament will be held at Marshall University in Huntington, W.V.
The championship match of the tournament is on Nov. 16 and the highest remaining tournament seed will host the match. If the Falcons win the semifinal match they will host the MAC Championship match on Nov. 16 at Cochrane Field.
The winner of the MAC tournament earns an automatic bid to play in the NCAA championship tournament.
With a win over Kentucky tomorrow, Akron can clinch a share of the MAC regular season title. The Falcons will be the No. 1 seed in the MAC tournament regardless of the outcome of tomorrow’s game because MAC rules state that if two teams have the same record, the tiebreaker is to compare how the two teams fared in competition with one another. Bowling Green has the advantage after Sunday’s 1-0 win.
“It’s great to have the No. 1 seed and only play one game over the weekend,” Mahler said. “We’ll get to watch our opponents play someone else on Friday. We’ll have a little more rest than whoever we play.”
The Falcons have two more regular season non-conference games to play before the MAC tournament begins. BG will finish the regular season with two home games against Michigan State tomorrow at 3:30 p.m. and against Cleveland State Sunday at 2 p.m.
In Michigan State the Falcons will face a Big Ten opponent that is vying for the Big Ten championship. Cleveland State has improved their program drastically from a struggling team the past few years to a .500 team this year, Mahler said.
Mahler has stressed the significance of winning the last few games before entering a league tournament. BG’s inexperience has not hurt them in conference matches this year and the inexperienced players have gained confidence and experience as the season has progressed.
“Our first year players are starting to understand how we want to play as a team and they’re playing within that game plan,” Mahler said. “When 11 guys get on the same page it’s tough to beat any team no matter what their record is. And I thought on Sunday [against Akron] we had 11 guys on the same page.”
Mahler spoke of Sunday’s win as Bowling Green’s best effort in this season of extremes.
“This has been a very unique season. If you had asked me why we’re MAC champs and haven’t won a conference game there’s dozens of reasons why and I couldn’t put my finger on one,” Mahler said. “There’s not one defining moment so far that has turned us around nor one portion of the season or one problem. We have played well enough to win more games than we have.”
The Falcons themselves have been proof this season that the team with the best record does not always win the match. In a league tournament where all seven teams may have a legitimate shot at winning the title, Bowling Green will look to keep the momentum going.
The support of the fans has helped the team during the homestand and the team hopes to play one more game at Cochrane Field during the MAC tournament.
“It’s a wonderful thing as an athlete to be able to represent your school and play for those people in the stands that are cheering you on,” Mahler said. “The crowd on Sunday was very vocal and very supportive and we’re most appreciative of their support. Hopefully we’ll be back here on the 16th of November.”
