BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – Ohio University scored late in the first half and early in the second, as the Bobcats went on to a 3-0 win over Bowling Green State University women's soccer team Thursday evening (Sept. 26). The Mid-American Conference match took place at Cochrane Stadium.

The Bobcats (6-1-3, 1-0-2 MAC) got a goal from Sydney Crowe with just 22 seconds remaining in the first half to break a scoreless tie. Crowe scored on a rebound after BGSU goalkeeper Madison Vukas had made a leaping save of a shot just seconds earlier.

Anna Burchett scored less than four minutes into the second half, and Rayann Pruss added a late goal to cap the scoring.

Vukas made a career-high nine saves for the Falcons (5-3-1, 2-1-0 MAC), who fell for the first time in MAC play. Celeste Sloma made six stops for the Bobcats.

Ohio, the defending MAC Tournament champions, has just one loss this season to date, and that setback came to the team currently ranked number-one in the nation (Michigan State).

Despite the loss, the Falcons are tied for third place in the MAC standings, just one point out of first.
 

Gallery: (9-26-2024) 092624 wsoc v Ohio - Drake Harlett

HOW IT HAPPENED
• The Falcons had an early chance, as an Ohio defender made an ill-advised pass back to her goalkeeper, Celeste Sloma. With Falcon forward Brynn Gardner bearing down on her, Sloma was forced to pick up the ball, resulting in an indirect free kick in the penalty area for the hosts.
• That free kick came with just over two minutes gone in the match. Michelle Hochstadt took the kick, sliding the ball to Emme Butera on her left. Butera fired a shot that was blocked by an Ohio defender.
• With approximately nine minutes later in the half, Lilly Boebel crossed the ball into the box from the left side of the field. Lexi White, facing away from goal, laid the ball off to Lexi Czerwien, who fired a shot, but the ball was hit directly at Sloma, who went to the ground to make the save.
• Four-plus minutes remained in the half when an Ohio player pulled Czerwien's jersey from behind, as the duo raced toward the penalty area. Butera took the resulting free kick from approximately 30 yards out, and the sophomore blasted a shot toward the upper left corner of the net. But, Sloma leaped to knock the ball out of the air, then grabbed it on one hop before a host of Falcons could arrive.
• The Bobcats got on the board with just 22 seconds left before halftime. Iro Fakinou stole the ball in BGSU's defensive third, and hit a hard shot from just outside the penalty area. Madison Vukas made a diving save, tipping the ball against the post. But, Vukas collided with the post, and while she was on the ground, Sydney Crowe got to the rebound near the six-yard line and put the ball into the upper half of the net.
• Ohio held a slim 7-6 lead in first-half shots, but the Bobcats fired seven shots in the first 15 minutes of the second half, holding BG without a shot in that time. Just over two minutes into the period, Jaimason Brooker blasted a hard shot from just outside the box that Vukas parried away with a dive. Roughly 20 seconds later, Brooker got the ball back and hit a shot from almost exactly the same spot, but Vukas grabbed this shot out of the air and held on.
• But, after BGSU took the ball into the offensive end, the 'Cats came right back down the field and doubled the lead. Brooker centered the ball from the left side, and Anna Burchett hit a one-timer that spun inside the far post with just under four minutes gone in the half.
• Midway through the half, after an Ohio corner kick, Vukas made the stop on a hard shot by Brooker. Just over a minute later, Hochstadt stole the ball, and Czerwien's pass found Jaden Frigerio streaking down the right side. Frigerio put a ball into the center, and it sailed just past Lizzie Bultynck, who was tangled up with an Ohio defender. Haley Wolf got a foot on the ball near the far post, putting it toward goal, but an Ohio defender fell on the ball  in front of the goal, before Sloma herself finally made a diving effort to grab it.
• With the Falcons pressing forward, Ohio added to the lead with just under eight minutes to go. BGSU was whistled for a foul, and Maia Kaufman chipped the ball into a crowded penalty area. The ball got past Vukas, who appeared to be screened as an Ohio forward crossed in front of her at the last possible second, and Rayann Pruss was on the doorstep to redirect it into the net.
• Less than 30 seconds after the goal, a right-side cross by Bultynck glanced off of the crossbar at the other end of the field.

STATS, NOTES & NUMBERS
• The Bobcats had a 19-11 advantage in total shot attempts, and a 12-6 lead in shots on goal. BGSU had a 6-4 edge in corner kicks.
• Madison Vukas, as mentioned earlier, made a career-high nine saves in the match.
• Despite the loss, the Falcons are tied for third in the MAC after three matches. Central Michigan and Western Michigan (each 2-0-1) have seven points apiece, while the Falcons, Buffalo and Kent State (all 2-1-0) have six points.

UP NEXT
• The Falcons will hit the road for a Sunday (Sept. 29) matchup at Miami. That contest begins at 1:00 p.m. in Oxford.

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.