The start of the BGSU women’s soccer season looms just ahead, and it will begin on familiar grounds in a matchup between the Falcons and the Detroit Mercy Titans, who face off for the third straight year on Thursday, Aug. 15 at 7 p.m. at Cochrane Stadium.
Bowling Green will be well accustomed to playing against Horizon League opponents by mid-September, facing Oakland and Cleveland State for the final two games of the non-conference schedule and making half of their six non-conference games against teams from the conference.
The Falcons will be looking for their third win against Detroit Mercy in as many years and will try to even up the record at 8 wins a piece.
Falcon Media Sports Network’s Lucas Kleimeyer and Henry Kosko will have the call for the game, produced by WBGU-PBS and streaming on their YouTube Channel. Tune in by clicking the link below.
BGSU women’s soccer vs Detroit Mercy – Live Stream
Scouting the Past
The Falcons will need every win they can get before heading into games in a very competitive MAC, which makes getting results in home games like this one against the Titans even more important.
In 2023, the Falcons were consistent on both sides of the ball, especially on the offensive side, scoring the fifth most goals per game and total goals while shooting the fourth most shots out of twelve MAC teams.
On the defensive side, they were below average within the context of the MAC, finishing seventh in average goals against and allowing 23 total goals, good for sixth out of 12.
The defense will need to improve if the Falcons want success against Detroit Mercy, who scored a fourth-best 32 goals in the Horizon League compared to 26 for the Falcons in the MAC.
The Titan defense was a different story however, allowing 1.63 goals per game in 2023, good for third worst in the Horizon League, and seeing 31 goals go past their keeper, second most in the conference.
Contrary to new Falcon head coach Chris Fox, who will be coaching his first regular season game with the program after two successful years at Morehead State, Detroit Mercy head coach Steve Shelton is entering his sixth season at the school and looking for his first winning season despite consistent improvement from the program over the past couple years.
Falcons to Watch
The sophomore forward is coming off an outstanding first year with BG, scoring three goals on three assists in almost 600 quality minutes that earned her a spot on the MAC All-Freshman team.
She will be looking to take the next step forward in 2024, and this matchup against Detroit Mercy will be a great place to start.
Look for Stransky to play quality minutes on either side of the pitch and work nicely with veteran strikers Brynn Gardner and Ellie Pool to create offensive chances and consistently put shots on goal as she did so well in her first year.
Entering her fifth and final year of eligibility and her third season with the Falcons, Czerwien’s role couldn’t be more vital in their success on the field.
Czerwien will be tasked with being the leader of a midfield that under Fox, will be the focal point of a possession-based offense that will rely on high-volume chances and consistent quality on the ball.
Watch for Czerwien to be the glue behind a Falcon offense that when successful, can be extremely dangerous to teams struggling on the defensive side of the ball, even if she isn’t the one scoring all the goals.
Titans to Watch
Lodato has been a force to be reckoned with ever since she took her first step on the field as a freshman with Detroit Mercy, earning a Horizon League Freshman of the Year award in her first season with the team, followed by a Horizon All-League First Team selection in her second.
Abbey Lodato can do damage wherever and whenever she is on the pitch, leading her team in points as both a freshman and a sophomore in the attacking midfield position.
Lodato is only going to get better as she enters her junior year with Detroit Mercy, and the key to limiting their offensive production is going to be to limit her touches, as whenever she gets the ball, she can make things happen.
Detroit Mercy welcomed in four new transfers prior to the 2024 season, and the former Georgia Bulldog and Wisconsin Badger are by far the most intriguing.
Washington played in 19 matches in her freshman year at Wisconsin and scored in her college debut and an NCAA tournament match before transferring to Georgia for her sophomore season.
In 2022 with the Bulldogs, the forward scored five goals on top of an assist and led the team in game-winning goals.
However, she didn’t play in the 2023 season and transferred back near her hometown of Canton, MI to play for Detroit Mercy in the 2024 season.
Although it will be an adjustment, Washington’s talent is undeniable, and if she manages to find the spark that she found in her sophomore year at UG, there is no limit to what she can achieve for Detroit Mercy.
Watch out for her to make an impact and add to the Detroit Mercy offense against Bowling Green.
