BGSU women’s soccer (2-1-0) took their first loss of the season in Pittsburgh against the Duquesne Dukes (2-1-0) by a score of 2-0 in a game where chances were hard to come by for the Falcons, especially in the first half.
Duquesne would strike first in the 18th minute with a wicked cross from the right side that would land right in the lap of Margey Brown for her fifth goal of the season in only three games, putting BG down early for the second time in the young 2024 season.
Bowling Green would fail to come anywhere close to an equalizer in the first half, unable to register a shot due to the relentless pressure by Duquesne’s defense and midfield.
The Falcons started to get the feet under them at the end of the first half, beginning to retain possession and build up their offense bit by bit going into halftime in Pittsburgh.
The Orange and Brown started the second half with a great chance for junior forward Brynn Gardner, who had an open shot on goal; however, it was saved on the ground by Duquesne goalkeeper Maddy Neundorfer.
BGSU sophomore forward Emma Stransky would get another great chance with 25 minutes left in the match after a long ball from Michelle Hochstadt reached open space and nearly found Stransky in front of the goal; however, the ball was a little too far, and no result came of it.
Midfielder Mackenzie Muir scored the second goal of the game for the Dukes on a free kick that was sent into the goal and sent out by Hochstadt, only for Muir to find it in open space and send a rocket into the bottom left corner.
Hochstadt would look to get her first Falcon goal late in the game with a beautiful shot from outside the box that, if it weren’t for the save by Neundorfer, would have flawlessly slotted into the bottom left corner of the net.
Bowling Green’s energy was greatly improved in the second half, as all nine of their shots came in the final 45 minutes of action. But it would not end up being enough to come back against a Duquesne team that played with great confidence at home.
With the loss, Bowling Green falls to 2-1-0 on the young season.
BGSU head coach Chris Fox and the Falcons will turn their attention to next Sunday, when they travel to the Windy City to take on Loyola Chicago on Sept. 1 at 2 p.m.
