The Bowling Green women’s soccer team started their 2024 season on a positive note Thursday night, picking up a 3-1 victory over Detroit Mercy.
In Midwest fashion, the Falcons’ first game of the year was under the cloud-surrounded and rain-filled lights of Cochrane Stadium.
BG was slow getting out of the gates, with The Titans controlling both the time of possession and pace of the game for the majority of the first half.
Scoring would come fast for Detroit Mercy, with senior forward Justice Tillotson taking advantage of a corner kick at the 7:15 mark, chipping it in the back of the net off a scrum and assist from graduate defender Hailey Matthews inside the box, giving the Titans a 1-0 advantage early in the half.
Chances to even the game for the Falcons were seemingly nonexistent through the first 40 minutes of play, with each breakout or outlet pass being shut down by the Titan’s defense.
BG would come through with a tying score late to close out the half off the foot of freshman midfielder Lauren Mahoney, who notched her first collegiate goal. Mahoney scored off a simple chip-in on the left side after an effective pass from sophomore forward Alaina Uncapher and freshman midfielder Alexis Tsaprailis.
The second half would play out much similar to how the last five minutes of the first half played out, with Bowling Green having a clear offensive advantage over Detroit Mercy. The conversation about time of possession and controlling the field was completely in favor of the orange and brown.
Mahoney would continue to shine in her first college-level game, netting another goal that found its way past graduate goalkeeper Marisa Silver out of a messy box at the 47:04 mark. The goal, which gave the Falcons a 2-1 lead, was assisted by junior forward Brynn Gardner.
Gardner would again find her way on the scoresheet late in the game after winning a one-on-one encounter with Silver, scoring a goal that came off a through-ball assist from freshman midfielder Lilly Boebel.
The freshman scoresheet presence in high volume against Detroit Mercy is, for many, a sure sign of the workings of a new era for Bowling Green women’s soccer, a notion that started with the arrival of head coach Chris Fox.
Fox spoke on the team’s effort and ability to fight back against Detroit Mercy’s early lead.
“I think if you are going to concede, you want to concede early when there is more time on the clock,” Fox stated. “We just needed to settle in, find our rhythm, find our play, and luckily we found it.”
The Falcons will look to build off their 1-0 start to the season as they host the Findlay Oilers next Thursday, with kickoff set for 7 p.m. at Cochrane Stadium.
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