TOCA Soccer and Sports Center Toledo. That was the site for the match between BGSU men’s soccer (7-1-1, 2-0-0) against the Eastern Illinois Panthers (1-4-1).
Due to inclement weather and poor conditions at Cochrane Stadium, this game was forced to be moved inside. Despite all the chaos surrounding the game up to kick-off, the Falcons were on the front foot from minute one.
“It was a mess tonight, the conditions of the field and then, you know, could we play and then the weather that rolled in and then what are our other options, pushing it back and then finding this venue,” said head coach Eric Nichols. “a very different approach to the game, but the guys don’t really care where they play, they just need a referee, some goals, and they got after it.”
A complete team performance from start to finish for the Falcons.
The first goal for the Falcons game was from the penalty spot after a handball was called on Panthers midfielder Felipe Kerr Lourenco. Junior forward Trace Terry converted from the spot, powering the ball into the bottom left corner.
In the 26th minute, the Orange and Brown added their second goal off a corner kick from senior midfielder Alberto Anaya, which found the head of fifth-year defender Kyle Cusimano to double BG’s lead.
The only save fifth-year goalkeeper Brendan Graves had to make in the first 45′ was a shot by forward Adam Boykin in the 30th minute of the match, which had Graves sprawling down to his right.
Bowling Green would continue their dominance, with Terry getting his second on the night off a corner kick from Anaya in the 34th minute, making it 3-0 Orange and Brown.
Just seconds later, the Falcons would get a fourth, this time sixth-year defender Josh Erlandson knocked home a cross from senior midfielder Taylor Dyson.
After putting on arguably their best performance of the season, the Falcons put up 18 shots in the first 45′ and went into the break with a 4-0 lead.
The Falcons continued to have complete control of the match in the second half, with sophomore forward Bennett Painter getting his sixth goal of the season off Anaya’s third assist of the night, making it 5-0 Orange and Brown.
With this win, BG has already matched their win total from last season and is now unbeaten in five games.
Terry, the reigning MVC Offensive Player of the Week and Top Drawer Soccer National Team of the Week has doubled his goals from last year as well, with eight, with still eight regular season matches left to be played.
Anaya, with three assists on the night, is up to two goals and seven assists in his senior campaign.
The Falcons outshot the Panthers by 40 to five, which is the most shots in a game since 1996 for the Orange and Brown.
Up next, BG returns to Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) action on Friday, Sept. 27, hosting the Belmont Bruins at Cochrane Stadium, looking for their third conference win of the season. Kick-off is set for 7:00 p.m.
