NASHVILLE, Tennessee- BGSU men’s soccer (4-5-2, 0-2-0) suffered its second Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) loss of the season, falling 4-1 to the Belmont Bruins (6-0-4, 1-0-1).
Belmont scored three goals before Bowling Green found the scoresheet, but the early goals in the first half for the Bruins were enough to down the Falcons.
Junior defender Saul Rios scored his first collegiate goal for the Orange and Brown, becoming the first player not named Trace Terry or Bennett Painter to score this season.
On the night, redshirt sophomore Jason Ball earned his second straight start, making four saves. Bruins goalkeeper Grant Calvert made just two saves on a quiet night.
Junior defender Gus Peacock made his first start since Michigan on Labor Day, only playing 26 minutes after being subbed out again after suffering a knock.
Bowling Green was outshot 15 to nine, with eight shots on target for the Bruins to just three for BG. The Bruins also created seven corner kicks while the Orange and Brown tallied just two.
The Bruins broke the deadlock in the 12th minute, after forcing Ball to make his first save of the night. Belmont capitalized on a corner kick that was finished by freshman Nzuhri Biggar, after the ball pinged around in the six-yard box.
Belmont’s second goal came in 21′ after Brock Kiper headed the ball down in the penalty box to Brad Dildy, who curled a shot into the side netting to double the lead.
Painter almost got Bowling Green on the board in the 32nd minute on a breakaway, but his shot from outside the box was blocked by the Bruins.
At the end of the first half, the Bruins had outshot the Falcons eight to four. With five shots on goal to none for Bowling Green.
The first shot on goal for Bowling Green came early in the second half, with junior midfielder Anthony Hernandez stinging the gloves of Calvert.
The third goal from the Bruins came from Jaxon Stokes, who received a pass from Ethan Schlegel inside the 18, and powered a shot pass to Ball for a 3-0 lead.
Bowling Green found the back of the net in the 60th minute. Off a dead ball, Rios scored a low-driven free-kick that beat the Belmont wall and Calvert.
Belmont quickly restored their three-goal lead just minutes later. Jimiyu Mark got on a breakaway off a through pass and slotted the ball in the bottom left of the net, making it 4-1 Bruins.
The final half an hour of play led to a few more Bowling Green chances, but the Orange and Brown couldn’t find a second goal.
The Falcons will look to bounce back against Cleveland State (2-2-4, 1-0-2) on Tuesday, Oct. 7, at Krenzler Field in Cleveland. Kick-off against the Vikings is set for 7:00 p.m.
