It was a hard-fought match, but BGSU men’s soccer (9-3-2, 3-2-1) fell to No. 15 Missouri State (10-2-1, 5-0-1) by a final score of 2-1 in Springfield, Missouri.
The half’s opening minutes were to be expected: fast, physical, and intense. Both sides were trying to establish their dominance in the midfield.
Bowling Green struggled to create anything that registered on target but was finding open looks.
The best chance of the first half came in the 24th minute. Senior forward Jesus Barea got on the end of a cross, which Brendan Graves first saved, then Barea’s second attempt was blocked by fifth-year defender Kyle Cusimano in a spectacular play to keep it scoreless.
Besides that chance, it was a relativity quiet first half, with both sides locked at 0-0 going into halftime.
The Falcons were outshot nine to one in the first 45′, but still went into the break with a chance.
Junior winger Andrew Shaffer had the first shot on target for the Orange and Brown in the 49th minute, sending a cross that needed to be pushed over the crossbar by redshort-senior goalkeeper Will Lowry.
Seconds later, Graves came up with a massive save on a one-on-one versus Barea, parrying the ball away to his left to keep it 0-0 in the 50th minute.
The Bears broke through with the match’s opening goal in the 58th minute, with a blast from outside the 18 from senior forward Fumiya Shiraishi, putting Missouri State on top, 1-0.
Going down a goal, the Falcons would open up, sending more players forward and playing more direct.
The Orange and Brown would equalize in the 72′, with a pass from senior midfielder Alberto Anaya that found the feet of sophomore forward Bennett Painter, who struck the ball past Lowry to make it 1-1.
In the 80th minute, the Falcons had a chance to take the lead. A counter-attack sprung Painter through on goal, striking a shot just wide of the near post.
As both teams threw numbers forward, it would be the Bears to find the late winner, as Barea redirected home a cross from senior midfielder Daniel Normann to get his 13th goal of the season and to give Missouri State the lead and, ultimately, the win.
In the dying seconds of the match, Bowling Green junior forward Trace Terry would commit a foul and receive a second yellow, then a red card to be sent off for the Falcons. Terry will be forced to miss the Orange and Brown’s next game against Evansville on Friday.
The Falcons were outshot 15 to four on the night, with three of the shots on goal for BG and nine for the Bears. Bowling Green committed 22 fouls and suffered just five from Missouri State.
With the loss, Bowling Green suffers just their third loss of the season and drops to third place in the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) standings, one point behind Drake and now six to Missouri State.
The Bears remain unbeaten in the MVC with five wins and one draw.
Up next for the Falcons is a match against Evansville on Friday, Oct. 25. at 8 p.m. in Indiana.
