The Falcons are heading to Kalamazoo, Mich. to play Western Michigan, Saturday Nov. 2 at 1 p.m.
BG is coming off a tied game against Hartwick last Saturday at Cochrane field. The game against Hartwick marked the fourth time BG ended a game in a tie in double overtime at the Cochrane Field.
The Falcons overall record is 5-6-5 and in the Mid-American Conference their record is 2-1-1; this puts BG at the third spot in the MAC division and their next opponent Western Michigan is at the second spot.
“Every MAC game is important. We only get to play six games so every game really matters, and this would put us in second place if we win and that’s where we really want to be,” forward Ryan Comiskey said.
The next game BG will play will be crucial, head coach Eric Nichols said.
“I think either team that wins the game gets in the MAC tournament, if I’ve done the math right, you can lose the game and still have a chance or tie the game. But if you win it you’re in, so this is a huge game and its always a huge game against Western. We have always had some great matches against them since I have been here.”
On Tuesday Oct. 29 Michael Wiest was named the MAC player of week from the College Sports Madness website for his performance in the previous week games and for his performance for this season. Wiest is the first Falcon goalkeeper to post six or more shutouts in three consecutive seasons since BGSU Hall-of-Famer Scott Vallow [1995-98]. Also, on Wednesday Oct. 30 Wiest was named the MAC scholar-athlete of the week for performing well during the previous week competition and for having a GPA of 3.5.
BG only has three more games before the season is over. They will play Western on Saturday, then head home for the last home game of the season against a non-conference team IPFW, then get back on the road to play their last game of the season against a MAC team West Virginia.
Heading into the game on Saturday, the team knows it will be playing a defensive team and hopes to get the win to take the second spot in the conference.
“It’s going to be a full performance that starts with defending,” Nichols said. “Western is a dangerous team they like to defend so even when we have possession we have to watch them because they are dangerous, so it starts with defending then we have to take our chances meaning we have to score our goals.”
Even though Western Michigan is known for their defensive skills BG is not going to change up its style of soccer.
“We have our BG way of playing soccer and we stick to it because we know it works, it really doesn’t matter who the opponent is exactly we are going to force our play on them.” Comiskey said.
The plan for BG is to defend and then get goals, Wiest said.
“I am not too worried about having a specific strategy right now because we have been doing the same thing all year we know that this is a big game, it’s a championship game for us so we are just going to move forward and get excited for the game,” he said.
