BGSU women’s soccer (6-1-3) hosted a key MAC matchup against the Western Michigan Broncos (5-2-1) at Cochrane Stadium on Sunday; the contest ended in a 1-1 draw.
This was the second consecutive 1-1 draw for the Falcons, following their game against OU in Athens on Thursday.
The early minutes were marked by plenty of back-and-forth action, but the well-balanced defenses prevented any shots or shots on goal.
But all of that changed in the 16th minute, when WMU defender Avery Peters scored on an assist from midfielder Drew Martin. It was her third goal of the season.
“That goal shocked us into life…overall, a very resilient performance,” head coach Chris Fox said. “Very proud of the group for the effort they showed.”
The Western Michigan defensive press was effective, often keeping the Falcons pinned to their own side of the field.
Peters took another shot on goal. This time, however, sophomore goalkeeper Payton O’Malley made a two-handed save.
In the 28th minute, WMU had possession and was headed toward the box, but junior defender Jayna Searles made a physical defensive play to knock the ball out of bounds.
The game was quite physical. In the first half alone, the teams notched thirteen fouls (nine of which were committed by WMU) and combined for five yellow cards.
“We matched some of that intensity,” Fox said. “That’s what helped us push forward.”
Just before half, O’Malley notched a diving save.
And then, momentum shifted. Junior forward Lexi White scored on a corner-kick assist from junior midfielder Emme Butera to knot the score up at 1-1, getting her first collegiate goal.
“It feels great. I love this team, and this team has put in so much work this season,” White said. “Helping our team put a goal in the net today made me feel really good.”
Both defenses settled in during the second half; opportunities for both teams were few. O’Malley played well, logging five saves on the day.
When it came to maintaining possession, the Falcons had more success in the second half.
The game was extremely chippy; the Broncos notched a whopping twenty-three fouls.
In essence, the contest was a tale of two halves; offense flourished in the first, while both defenses locked down in the second.
With just seven minutes left, the Orange and Brown had a chance to pull ahead when junior defender Gabby Lamparty made contact with the ball in the box. However, just at the edge of the goal line, WMU managed to knock it away.
The Falcons will be back in action at home against the Central Michigan Chippewas next Sunday, Sept. 21, at 1:00 p.m. Coverage can be found at bgfalconmedia.com.
