CLEVELAND, Ohio – On a cold, rainy and windy Tuesday night at Krenzler Field, BGSU men’s soccer (4-6-2, 0-2-0) suffered its second straight loss, falling 1-0 to Cleveland State (4-2-4, 2-0-2).
A goal in the 52nd minute from the Vikings’ Matteo Correia was the difference in the match between the two sides.
Despite the loss, the Falcons outshot the Vikings 14-12, with six shots on goal to four in favor of BG. Senior forward Trace Terry recorded a game-high six shots, while freshman midfielder Caue Ramos tallied four.
Redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Jason Ball made three saves while CSU keeper Ryan Poling had six, plus a shutout win.
Poling was forced to make his first save early into the match as Painter got on the end of a Ryko Bodurov cross, which forced him to make a diving save to his right.
Terry had his first piece of action in the 21st minute, after a couple of one-touch passes from Bowling Green, the ball popped up in the air for the Bellbrook, Ohio, native, but his header was saved by Poling.
In the 28th minute, Ball made his first save on the night with a shot by Fefo Granados that took a deflection inside the box.
Bowling Green’s best chance in the first half came in the 40th minute, after an Andrew Shaffer cross in the box that found the foot of Terry, which rattled the post.
Despite the chances in the first 45′ for the Orange and Brown, they went into halftime locked at 0-0 with the Vikings.
The Vikings found the eventual game-winning goal in the 52nd minute, after a line-breaking pass from the right side from Jacob Deever that found Correia in the box, who found the side-netting past Ball. Earning the 2024 Horizon League Freshman of the Year, his third goal of the season, and a 1-0 lead for Cleveland State.
CSU’s Josip Rimac nearly added a second goal for the Vikings near the hour mark. After a one-on-one with Ball, Rimac pulled his shot just wide of the far post. Moments later, Tom Mertz followed up with a shot that hit the outside post, keeping it a 1-0 game.
In the 79th minute, freshman forward Tyson McCoy went down in the penalty box. After a second look from the video assistant referee, no penalty kick was awarded.
Cleveland State had another chance to make it 2-0, but Peleg Armendariz couldn’t but his shot was skied over the crossbar in the 82′.
Poling made one final save with three seconds left in the match, covering up a Terry header off a free-kick, sealing the win for Cleveland State.
Bowling Green will look to break its winless streak as they head back home to Cochrane Stadium in search of their first Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) win of the season.
Falcons will take on the Bradley Braves (2-4-5, 0-1-1) on Senior Night this Friday, Oct. 10, at 7:00 p.m.
Falcon Media Sports Network will have full coverage of the match on bgfalconmedia.com.
