For just the fourth time ever, No. 24 BGSU men’s soccer (5-1-1, 1-0-0 MVC) faces off against the Bradley Braves (3-4-1, 0-1-0) for their second Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) match of the season.
Coming off a disappointing 1-1 draw against Northern Kentucky, head coach Eric Nichols and company will look to bounce back with a victory and move to 2-0 in the Valley.
Bradley, they are coming off a 2-0 loss against SIUE on the road. Before that match, the Braves started MVC play against Missouri State, losing 1-0.
Not Much History
Last year, the Falcons defeated Bradley at Cochrane Stadium 3-1 for their first-ever MVC win in program history. Before that, you’ll have to go all the way to 1999, when Bradley handed Bowling Green a 4-1 loss.
In 1998, the first-ever meeting between these two programs, the Braves beat the Falcons 1-0 at Cochrane.
Three-Headed Attack Leads Falcons
We are seven games into the 2024 season, and the Falcons have scored 14 goals, which is third best in The Valley, with 11 of them coming from the trio of Bennett Painter, Trace Terry, and Alberto Anaya.
Painter leads the team in goals with five and one assist, Terry is right behind him with four goals and one assist, and Anaya has a pair of goals and assists as well. This trio is all in sync, and their chemistry keeps developing as the season rolls along.
Even more importantly, the Falcons are nationally ranked at number 24 in the country. But for Bowling Green to keep that spot and potentially move up, they need to keep stacking wins and, more importantly, win their conference games.
The Falcons are 2-1-1 on the road this season, with six goals scored and four goals conceded. Their only shutout this year so far has come on the road; a second one, plus a big performance from fifth-year goalkeeper Brendan Graves, could be the path to the Falcons’s sixth win of the season.
Bradley’s Tale of Two Halves
The Braves have had an interesting season so far, to say the least. They started the year winning three of their first four matches, but since then, they have gone winless in four games and are right now on a three-game losing streak.
Last season, Bradley was 5-6-6, but what was more glaring is they were 1-6-1 in The Valley. Their only MVC win came against Drake in a 2-1 victory.
Despite their slump, the Braves are 3-1 at home this season and have only allowed two goals, both coming in their 2-1 loss to Green Bay.
Leading the front line this year for Bradley is sophomore forward Mitch Coughlon, with three goals and one assist on the season. As a team, the Braves have scored 11 goals on the year and conceded 10.
Falcon Four Players To Watch.
Forward #21: Trace Terry, Bowling Green
Terry is coming off a goal against Northern Kentucky in the Falcons’ 1-1 draw. His hold-up play and defensive work will be key against Bradley.
Goalkeeper #33: Brendan Graves, Bowling Green
The Perrysburg native has 12 career shutouts with BG, with eight of them on the road. Graves has a history of big performances on the road, and the Falcons could use another one against Bradley.
Goalkeeper #0: Drew Berry, Bradley
Berry is currently first in the MVC in goals conceded with just five goals allowed and in saves per game with 4.80. He’s been one of the best goalkeepers in The Valley this year; he will be key on Saturday.
Midfielder #22: Francesco Pettinaroli, Bradley
An energetic midfielder who has two goals and two assists for the Braves this year, Pettinaroli will be crucial to Bradley’s midfield, especially in helping to win duals in the middle of the pitch.
