Following a 3-game win streak, the BG men’s soccer team has now gone winless in its last three games following a shutout loss at Ohio State.
The Buckeyes took an early lead just three minutes in on a penalty kick and the Falcons were never able to recover.
“We weren’t covering ground, the whole team came out flat,” said head coach Eric Nichols.
Bowling Green was able to get off just six shots over ninety minutes compared to the 20 by Ohio State.
While four of the six shots on frame, the shots themselves were more hopeful than dangerous, Nichols said.
The Falcons conceded a second first-half goal on another penalty kick, this time off of the rebound.
However, despite being down 2-0, the Falcons would show much better in the second half.
“We came out in the second half and played a lot better,” Nichols said. “We challenged the ball and we possessed the ball.”
The improved second half resulted in just eight shots for the Buckeyes with only two being on frame.
However, Ohio State was able to push one of the two shots on frame into the back of the net, capping off the scoring for the night.
The team “laid an egg” in the 3-0 loss and it didn’t give the team much to be proud of, Nichols said.
The loss was the first multiple-goal loss for the Falcons on the season and just the second time BG has conceded more than two goals in a match this season.
It isn’t the end for the Falcons however, because the game was not a Mid-American Conference matchup.
Instead, the team will look to use the loss as motivation moving forward.
“This game will have to be key for us,” Nichols said. “We’re going to have to use this game to motivate us; it needs to be a turning point in the season for us.”
A turning point in the season is just what the Falcons need going into the weekend after opening MAC play 0-1-1.
BG will take on conference-opponent West Virginia on October 25.
Coming off of a 3-game road trip ending with a win, the Mountaineers return home for a single game against the Falcons.
The same conference record as the Falcons [0-1-1], the Mountaineers come into the weekend with a 6-6-1 overall record, but a 5-2 record at home.
Thus, BG will have a tough test ahead of them as they look to secure their first MAC win of the season.
