After a disappointing weekend in Pittsburgh that ended in a crushing 2-0 loss to Duquesne, BGSU women’s soccer (2-1-0) will look to bounce back against another Atlantic 10 squad, the Loyola Chicago Ramblers (2-1-1).
It stands to reason that, ahead of three matches before a matchup in Muncie that marks the beginning of Mid-American Conference play, the Falcons will want to take advantage of matches against Loyola Chicago, Cleveland State and Oakland considering the strength of the MAC in 2024.
With five teams still undefeated in the MAC including the 4-0 Eastern Michigan Eagles, the Falcons have their work cut out for them, and they will need to harness some of the energy found in the first two games of the season at Cochrane Stadium.
Scouting the Past
A 2-1-1 start for the Ramblers has exceeded expectations considering a 1-1 draw against Purdue in West Lafayette and a 1-0 win over DePaul at home that solidified an impressive start for Loyola Chicago under interim head coach Angela Staveskie.
After suffering a tough 3-0 loss against Wisconsin on Thursday night, the Ramblers will look to bounce back after coming back home.
After 13 successful years under former head coach Barry Bimbi that included four straight Missouri Valley Conference championships from 2018-2021, the Ramblers are entering a new era under a new head coach and a fairly new conference in only their third year as a member of the Atlantic 10.
The two programs that have very similar recent histories are dead even in the matchup history with Loyola Chicago winning the first-ever meeting back in 2012, and Bowling Green achieving a 2-0 victory over the Ramblers to even up the record back to 1-1.
Bowling Green played their third-ever game against an A10 opponent last Sunday in the loss to the Dukes, and they will look to make it 2-2 against the conference in this Sunday’s matchup.
Loyola Chicago is 6-3 against MAC opponents dating back to 2018, and they will play two more opponents from the conference in 2024, with matchups against Toledo and Eastern Michigan following the battle with the Falcons.
Falcons to Watch
With the scoring troubles that we saw last week against Duquesne, Bowling Green will go back to the basics and will look to the veterans to create many of their chances and get possession consistently.
The captain has shown energy and resilience in her starts with the Falcons early on in the year, and there won’t be any aspect of the game that is more important than energy against the Ramblers amid a road trip where they were sluggish to start in the opener against the Dukes.
Czerwien’s success on and off the ball led to her leading the team with four shots against Duquesne, and she will have to make that energy contagious and keep her hot streak rolling if BG wants a shot on Sunday afternoon.
Green has taken a huge step in her game in her sophomore season with the Falcons, playing 254 out of the first 270 minutes of the 2024 season, and she’s made the most of her opportunity, showing great confidence and poise in a back four position that relies on those skills so heavily.
Taking the role of left-back throughout her minutes, Green has been key in head coach Chris Fox’s possession-based system, being a calm presence that can get the ball into open space and create chances for midfielders and strikers ahead of her.
Green has also been fantastic in her role as a true defender, limiting errors and working well with those around her, making her a valuable asset for the season moving forward, and a key for this weekend’s matchup against the Ramblers.
Ramblers to Watch
Entering her fifth and final year of eligibility, Abel has been a staple to the Rambler team over past seasons, playing over 6300 minutes and being one of the best defenders in her respective conference in every one of those minutes.
The defense will be a big emphasis for Loyola Chicago, as high energy and attacking defense is the key to breaking up Bowling Green’s offensive success, and Abel will be an anchor and a leader of the Rambler defense that will be relentless against the Falcons on Sunday.
Just like Falcon freshman Lauren Mahoney, Rossi scored two goals in her college debut against Eastern Illinois, and she’s burst onto the scene as a legit young talent who will be dangerous for the Ramblers on Sunday.
Rossi showed extreme finishing ability in her two-goal debut, slotting two goals into the bottom right corner, one off a free kick, and she will have to be a focus for the Falcon defense if they want to contain the Rambler offense.
A mix of young and veteran talent is there for Loyola Chicago, and it is a good template for a successful team, making this game against the Falcons a must-watch for both fan bases.
