BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – The Bowling Green State University women's soccer team took care of business on Saturday afternoon (Oct. 5), picking up a 2-1 win over Northern Illinois University. The Mid-American Conference match took place at a sun-drenched Cochrane Stadium.

Emma Stransky scored late in the first half for the Falcons (6-3-2, 3-1-1 MAC), while Lexi Czerwien scored early in the second.

In her second career start, goalkeeper Payton O'Malley made seven saves to pick up the win.

Stransky headed home a Jaden Frigerio cross with just 2:56 remaining in the opening half to give the Orange and Brown the lead. But, the Huskies (6-4-3, 0-3-2) equalized on an Isabel Struble goal with only nine seconds left in the period.

Czerwien, however, scored on a rebound with just over four minutes gone in the second period, for what proved to be the winning goal.
 

Gallery: (10-5-2024) 100524 wsoc v NIU - Brenna Orton

Gallery: (10-5-2024) 100524 wsoc v NIU - Drake Harlett

HOW IT HAPPENED
• The Huskies fired two shots on goal within the game's first 90 seconds, but BGSU freshman goalkeeper Payton O'Malley was up to the task. She stopped efforts from Kelsi McLaughlin and Alyssa Stephenson, then made a diving save on Stephenson with just over five minutes gone.
• O'Malley made another nice stop on a shot by McLaughlin in the 18th minute. Just over a minute later, a long ball by Emma Stransky was over the head of NIU 'keeper Ary Purifoy, but glanced off the top of the crossbar and out of play.
• O'Malley was at it again in the 32nd minute of play, with a spectacular diving save on Reegan Kingpavong after the ball fell to the Huskie striker in the box.
• With just over 10 minutes left in the half, Stransky got to a crossing ball from Alaina Uncapher, but Stransky's shot went over the bar.
• Stransky and the Falcons broke through with just under three minutes left before halftime. Lexi Czerwien played a pass to Jaden Frigerio on the left side of the pitch. Frigerio settled the ball and immediately put a diagonal ball into the box. With a defender on her and Purifoy coming off of her line, Stransky got her head on the cross and redirected it into the net to give the Falcons the lead.
• In a flurry of action after the goal, O'Malley made the stop on a hard shot by Kingpavong. Then, at the other end of the field less than a minute later, Stransky took the ball to the end line and put a low cross into the box from the right side. Lexi White and a defender vied for the ball near the right post. The NIU player blocked the ball as both players went to the ground, but White, from a seated position, was able to spin and put a shot on frame. The ball went through the defender's legs, but Purifoy was able to make the save just inside the post.
• The Huskies got on the board with only nine seconds left in the half. After a BGSU foul near midfield, NIU's Julianna Hill took the ensuing free kick and put the ball into a host of players near the 18-yard line. Two Huskies were able to get a head on the ball, which then fell to an open Isabel Struble behind the BGSU defense. She quickly poked the ball into the net just a split-second before O'Malley was able to get there, and the match was tied.
• But, the Falcons retook the lead early in the second half. Lilly Boebel played a ball into the box from the left side. With Brynn Gardner and an NIU defender in the area, Purifoy was able to punch the serve away, but the ball went in the direction of Czerwien, who neatly tucked it into the vacated net.
• With 31 minutes to go, Lizzie Bultnyck's cross/shot rang off of the post. Then, three minutes later, a Michelle Hochstadt free kick was deflected, and Gardner fired a curving shot that just missed finding the far upper corner of the net.
• Just under 18 minutes remained with a diagonal ball by Uncapher went just over the head of White in the six-yard box.
• The Falcons closed out the win, allowing just one shot attempt in the final 34-plus minutes. That effort, off the boot of Tyra King, went wide with nine minutes to go.

UP NEXT
• The Falcons head to Kalamazoo on Thursday (Oct. 10), taking on preseason MAC favorite Western Michigan. That match is scheduled to begin at 4:00 p.m.

• Then, the Orange and Brown will return home to face Buffalo three days later. First touch is set for 1:00 p.m. at Cochrane, and admission is free.

FOR MORE INFORMATION...
• For more information on the women's soccer program, follow the Falcons on Twitter/X (@BGSU_Athletics and @BGSU_WSoccer) and Instagram (bgsu_wsoccer), as well as on the web right here at BGSUFalcons.com.