Thursday’s Men’s Soccer Results
Western Michigan 4, Akron 3
West Virginia 2, Bowling Green 0
Georgia State 2, Georgia Southern 1
Stories courtesy of MAC Sports Information Departments
Western Michigan 4, Akron 3
Boxscore
KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan men's soccer team wrapped up the 2021 season on a high note after a dramatic 4-3 win in overtime against rival Akron on Thursday at the WMU Soccer Complex.
In the sixth minute of the first overtime period Dylan Sing had the ball in the offensive half and passed the ball across the field to the right side to Brennan Creek. Creek found Charlie Sharp in the box and Sharp received the ball, posted up with his back to the goal. Forward Mike Melaragni came running into the box and Sharp laid the ball off for him and Melaragni fired it into the net for the game-winner and his third goal of the season.
Sharp helped lead to the game's opening goal in the ninth minute when he was brought down in the box by Akron goalkeeper Will Meyer. In his final game as a Bronco, senior Caden Jackman stepped up to the spot and buried the penalty kick for his second goal of the season, giving WMU the early 1-0 lead.
The Zips responded and tied it up with a goal in the 25th minute by Carlo Ritaccio but Western Michigan retook the lead in the 32nd minute on a goal by Sharp. After a long throw into the box, an Akron defender tried to clear the ball out but Sing stopped it and directed the ball to his left and Sharp. Sharp quickly put the ball into the back of the net for his fifth goal of the season.
UA, once again, responded and this time with a goal just before the end of the first half by Diogo Pacheco at 43:13.
Sing gave the Broncos the lead for the third time in the 66th minute, heading a cross by Matheus Lima toward the ground and into the net from just in front for his fifth goal of the season.
Pachecco tied it back up at 3-3 just over a minute later.
WMU moved temporarily into fourth place in the MAC standings but needed Georgia Southern to defeat Georgia State on Thursday night in order to make the MAC Tournament. GSU won 2-1 in overtime to claim the final spot.
West Virginia 2, Bowling Green 0
Boxscore
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia University men's soccer team capped the 2021 regular season with a 2-0 win over Bowling Green on Thursday evening at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium.
The Mountaineers used a pair of second-half goals in the 61st and 62nd minute to finish an unbeaten regular season at home. Junior midfielder Luke McCormick scored the game-winning goal, while freshman defender Frederik Jorgensen also found the back of the net just 74 seconds later.
With the win, WVU clinched the No. 2 seed in next week's MAC Championship.
In a chippy first half of action, West Virginia (11-2-4, 4-1-1 MAC) outshot the Falcons (10-4-3, 2-2-2 MAC), 6-2. Perhaps the hosts' best scoring opportunity in the first 45 minutes came in the 42nd minute when the Mountaineers were ruled offside on a near-goal by McCormick.
The Derby, England, native got his goal in the second half, though, scoring his second career game-winner in the 61st minute. After sophomore midfielder Ryan Crooks played a ball into McCormick, his initial shot was denied by the BGSU goalkeeper before a quick, second touch found the back of the net to make it 1-0.
Moments later, WVU doubled its lead with Jorgensen's goal in the 62nd. The play began on sophomore midfielder Ryan Baer's shot off the post, which bounced to Jorgensen for the goal.
Meanwhile, fifth-year senior goalkeeper Steven Tekesky was needed in several moments in the second half. First, he pushed a Bowling Green shot over the bar in the 46th minute and added his second save of the night by protecting the near post in the 86th.
The Raymore, Missouri, native earned his 44th career win on Thursday, one away from matching assistant coach Nick Noble's program record of 45, set in 2006.
In all, West Virginia held a 14-7 advantage in shots, including 6-2 in shots on goal. With the win, WVU improved to 6-8-3 all-time against Bowling Green, including 3-2-1 in Morgantown.
McCormick led the squad with six shots, three on them on frame. Jorgensen added three shots, while Baer had two.
The Mountaineers improved to 8-0-2 at home this season, good for the team's first unbeaten, regular-season mark at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium since 2006.
Prior to the match, the squad honored five senior student-athletes – midfielder Pau Jimenez Albelda, defenders Nicholas Manno and Kevin Morris, forward Yoran Popovic and Tekesky – as part of its Senior Night festivities.
Next up, WVU opens postseason play in the 2021 MAC Championship Semifinal on Thursday, Nov. 11, against No. 3-seeded Georgia State in DeKalb, Illinois. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. ET.
Georgia State 2, Georgia Southern 1
Boxscore
ATLANTA – Facing a must win situation, Max Wilkins came through for the Georgia State men's soccer team with a goal in the second overtime to help the Panthers top Georgia Southern 2-1 on Thursday night at the GSU Soccer Complex.
Wilkins found the back of the net for his fifth goal of the season in the 104th minute sending Georgia State (11-6, 3-3 MAC) to the Mid-American Conference Tournament next week.
The win jumped the Panthers ahead of Akron, Bowling Green, and Western Michigan into the No. 3 seed in next week's championship. Georgia State will face No. 2 seed West Virginia on Thursday at 4 p.m. ET, on the campus of top seed Northern Illinois.
Georgia Southern (4-12-1, 0-5-1 MAC) was looking to end Georgia State's season but fell just short, falling to the Panthers for a fourth-straight time.
Ramon Munoz got the Panthers on the board with his first goal of the season in the 69th minute. But just five minutes later Samuel Odame tied the game in the 74th minute for the Eagles which eventually sent the game into overtime.
Georgia State out-shot Georgia Southern 20-12, including a 3-0 advantage in overtime. Goalkeeper Gunther Rankenburg added to his MAC-leading save total with four on the night.
The Panthers now own a 31-11-6 all-time record against the Eagles and have won four-straight in the series.
WHAT'S NEXT
Georgia State will advance to the MAC Tournament hosted by top seed Northern Illinois next week. The Panthers will be looking to play in a seventh-straight conference tournament championship game, last making the NCAA Tournament in 2018.
