BGSU women’s soccer (7-1-3, 2-0-2) forced a 0-0 draw against rival Toledo (3-3-4, 0-2-2) Thursday in the Battle of I-75 on Mental Health Awareness night at Paul Hotmer Field.
The match becomes the sixth draw between the two teams.
The first 30 minutes of the highly anticipated matchup became a midfield battle, with both back lines preventing chances for the opposing offenses.
“I couldn’t be prouder of them,” sophomore goalkeeper Payton O’Malley said about the Falcon backline, “They do a great job, like keeping minimal shots, and even if they are shots on frame, like it’s right to me.”
The Rockets would break through the tough Falcon backline within the final 15 minutes of the half to give themselves multiple looks.
Toledo had their first big chance with a cross from the corner by junior defender Carys Bourbeau, which was knocked out of the box quickly.
Bourbeau found another opportunity, getting herself in the box before having her shot knocked out by the Falcon backline.
The Blue and Gold’s only goal shot of the half came from sophomore midfielder Gabriella Anulare, whose shot was picked up by O’Malley.
Bowling Green also found a break in the Toledo defense when junior midfielder Emme Butera nailed the crossbar during the 36th minute.
The former Rocket turned Falcon, graduate student forward Ellie Pool, got her first shot of the match against her former school, which fell right into the hands of Toledo senior goalkeeper Anges Stenlund.
The Blue and Gold went back to work in the second half of the match, sending multiple shots at O’Malley within the first few minutes.
O’Malley would end the night with three saves, with two coming in the second half.
Senior forward Kaema Amachree gets the last big shot for Toledo at the 80th minute, landing over the top of the goal.
“I think when you’ve got players that are battling and fighting and competing like we did, and putting their bodies on the line, putting in blocks, going in hard for challenges, I think, yeah, that’s what keeps it at 0-0,” head coach Chris Fox said.
The Falcons finish up a two-match away stretch with a MAC matchup in Ypsilanti, Michigan, against Eastern Michigan on Sunday, Oct. 5, at 1:00 p.m.
