The BG Men’s soccer team will play its last regular season game Friday night against West Virginia, but it may not be their last of the season.
They defeated IPFW in their last regular season home game of the year, but that may be the last game of the year that has a regular season feel to it.
“That game went as well as we could have hoped for,” said Head soccer Coach Eric Nichols. “IPFW has been struggling this year, but they were struggling last year and beat us.”
This Friday’s match is between the two Mid-American Conference teams fighting for the fourth and last seed in the MAC Tournament. The Falcons must win this game to advance to the MAC Tournament semifinals, but the Mountaineers only need a tie as they hold the tiebreaker.
“This is a huge MAC game,” Nichols said. “There is no extra pressure; pressure doesn’t do us any good in these games.”
The schedule the Falcons have allow them to be ready for this type of game, Nichols said. That schedule included games against nationally ranked teams University of Michigan, Milwaukee, Marquette and Akron as well as regionally ranked teams Ohio State and Michigan State.
West Virginia brings in eight wins to the game Friday as well as some great attacking players to the field Friday as two of their players are at the top of the conference in scoring.
If schedules are any indication then this should be a very even match as both teams lost to MAC opponent Akron University 0-1. They both also took Michigan to extra time as the Falcons tied 1-1 the Mountaineers lost 1-2.
The attitude around the team this year has always been to play every game like it is the MAC championship this might as well be for this team. This is a win or go home match for the Falcons and the last chance these seniors get to win a MAC tournament championship.
“These seniors have been awesome,” Nichols said. “They have carried this program to a program a lot of people from students, alumni and fans can be proud of.”
