The BGSU women’s soccer team (7-5-4, 4-3-3) continued their battle for a spot in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) Tournament at FirstEnergy Stadium in Akron, Ohio, on a brisk fall Sunday afternoon, shutting out the Zips (5-8-4, 0-8-2) 2-0 under clear, pastel blue skies with an autumn foliage backdrop.
The result marks BG’s first win since Oct. 5, when they defeated Northern Illinois 2-1.
“It’s a much-needed result, for sure. I think the last couple of games, I don’t think the scorelines have necessarily really reflected our performances,” BGSU head coach Chris Fox said after the match. “That’s the game of soccer, unfortunately. At the same time, what I’m trying to focus on is the positives and the fact that we’re still playing well.”
The victory also marked Bowling Green’s sixth straight shutout win against Akron, dating back to 2019.
Coming into the match, Akron ranked 15th in the country in save percentage (.857). However, the Falcons were able to crack the code.
“They were very organized, very well prepared for us,” Fox said. “Great job for Akron; they definitely made it difficult.”
Bowling Green totaled 13 shots compared to Akron’s seven, including five shots on goal to UA’s two. The Falcons also doubled the Zips’ corner kick total, six to three.
First Half
The Falcons maintained possession for much of the first 45 minutes of action, and while neither team scored, both sides had a few missed opportunities.
“I think the set-up (Akron’s defense) was to kind of lull us into a level of complacency with hopes that we would play into the pressure,” Fox said. “That was part of the problem in the first half; we just need to play faster, move the ball, change the point of attack quicker or to penetrate a little bit faster.”
In the first few minutes of the match, Bowling Green freshman defender Haley Wolf led freshman forward Lily Boebel near the left side of the box with a nice pass; however, the Falcons were called offside.
Following senior defender Isabelle Gilmore blocking Akron’s first shot in the 12th minute, the Falcons missed another opportunity as sophomore defender Taylor Green was called for a penalty on a BG pass into the box off a corner kick.
Bowling Green recorded three shots in the first half without any success.
Freshman midfielder Alexis Tsaprailis had her shot blocked by the Zips in the 22nd minute before Wolf was unsuccessful on an attempt from the left side of the goal in the 32nd minute.
Towards the end of the half, Bowling Green sophomore forward Emma Stransky missed a shot wide right of the goal on a one-touch in the box in the 39th minute.
Akron ramped up their offensive attack towards the end of the first half. The Zips sent an opportunity into the box in the 35th minute but were called offside.
BG senior midfielder Jaden Frigerio cleared out a pass into the box by UA sophomore midfielder Shani Sirota in the 42nd minute before Akron freshman forward Kaitlyn Rogowski missed an attempt to the right, which BG freshman goalkeeper Payton O’Malley, who finished with two saves in her second shutout of the season, gathered in the 43rd minute.
Second Half
Akron came out of the locker room much more aggressive to start the second half, pressuring the Falcons on their side of the pitch for the first few minutes.
UA redshirt senior midfielder Morgan Pentz missed a shot wide left of the goal in the 49th minute before missing once again, this time high over the crossbar, after Akron’s first corner kick of the match in the 54th minute.
However, the early pressure and hints to start the half for the Zips turned out to be ‘fool’s gold’ for the Blue and Gold.
The bad news for Akron started in the 58th minute when redshirt senior defender Katie Stafford, who is tied for the team lead in goals with two, was forced to leave the game due to an injury.
With their momentum halted, BGSU took full advantage.
In the 59th minute, junior forward Brynn Gardner sent a pass into the box from the right side, which was passed back to Stransky on a header from redshirt sophomore forward Alaina Uncapher; however, Stransky missed the wide right of the goal.
Nearly immediately after, Uncapher hit the crossbar off another header, which deflected to Stransky, who found the back of the net off the redirection in the 60th minute.
“Uncapher did a great job heading it back into a dangerous area,” Stransky said. “Ball’s bouncing around, I was in a really good spot, or really lucky spot, just trying to stay composed and slide it away for an easy finish in the lower-left corner.”
Stransky, who also scored BG’s only goal against Akron last season, attributed her success against the Zips to her Northeast Ohio roots, as she grew up a stone’s throw away in Copley.
“It’s your hometown,” Stransky said. “You want to show up for a game that’s going to mean a little more. I love all those girls, love their coach, love it here.”
The unfortunate luck didn’t stop there for the Zips, as redshirt junior goalkeeper Penelope Cuirinier was also forced to leave the match due to an apparent injury in the 61st minute and was replaced by sophomore Sara Bower.
After a few missed opportunities to add to their lead, the Orange and Brown found the nylon again, this time off the foot of graduate midfielder Lexi Czerwien, scoring her team-leading fifth goal.
Gardner made the initial shot, which was saved by Bower, before Uncapher and Czerwien each missed shots, with Czerwien scoring in the bottom left corner with her left foot off the redirection of her own deflected miss in the 88th minute.
“My nickname for Lex (Lexi) Czerwien has been ‘fox in the box,’ a little saying we have in England. You know, she’s there,” Fox said. “I think all of her goals have kind of been similar; it’s just like she’s always ready for that second ball and to place it in the back of the net.”
Next, the Orange and Brown will return to the 330 for Halloween to battle Kent State in what could be a MAC Tournament eliminator at Zoeller Field at Dix Stadium on Thursday, Oct. 31. The regular season-finale match for the Falcons is set to begin at 3 p.m.
