BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – The defending Mid-American Conference champions battled the current league leaders on Sunday afternoon (Oct. 16), and the result was an evenly-played match. The Bowling Green State University women's soccer team battled the University at Buffalo to a scoreless draw at Cochrane Stadium.

Lili Berg made four saves in goal to earn the shutout for the Falcons (5-5-4, 3-2-3 MAC). Emily Kelly also stopped all four shots on goal she faced for the Bulls (11-1-3, 5-0-3 MAC).

The BG and Buffalo back lines stood tall on Sunday, as the teams combined for just 15 total shots, including only six in the second half.

Brynn Gardner led the Falcons with three shot attempts, while UB's Leah Wengender also fired three shots on Sunday.

TOLEDO, Ohio – The Toledo women's soccer team ended the weekend with a 0-0 tie against Miami on Sunday afternoon at Paul Hotmer Field.

The Rockets and Redhawks played a physically intense game, but neither team was able to put one in the back of the net through 90 minutes of play. Both teams had chances to score but the defensive line was there to back up the goalkeepers and keep the score deadlocked at 0-0. Redshirt freshman goalkeeper Karson Hill recorded her first career shutout.

"I am proud of our team's effort today defensively. They did a great job," head coach TJ Buchholz said. "I think our back line and Karson Hill really stepped up. (Senior defender) Rylee Michaels had a tremendous game. She was really strong defensively and made two key tackles inside the box to save us from giving up a goal. You love that mentality piece of our defense. We just have to put it together on the offensive side and keep working through those pieces. If we can keep doing that, we'll be able to move forward and get ready for Thursday. It's good to get the shutout but we have to find a way this week to take that shutout and keep teams from scoring, and then go on the attack and find the back of the net."

KALAMAZOO, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University soccer team came from behind to secure a road win Sunday, Oct. 16, as the Eagles took a 2-1 victory from Western Michigan University at the WMU Soccer Complex in Kalamazoo, Mich. The win for the Eagles (3-9-3, 2-5-1 MAC) snapped a three-game slide while the Broncos fell to 3-7-5 overall and 3-3-2 in the MAC.
 
How It Happened
The Eagles found themselves down early as the hosts found the back of the net in the 2'. On the play, Jenna Blackburn stole a pass and moved toward the penalty area where she sent a pass across the center of the area where Drew Martin hit home to make it 1-0 with just 1:50 played. Despite the deficit, the Eagles responded by pushing the pace and earning a corner kick in the 28'. Vittoria Greco (Brooklin, Ontario-Brooklin) stepped to the corner flag and swung a pass into the area where Maddie O'Farrell (Haslett, Mich.-Lansing Catholic) jumped and headed home the equalizer. The goal was O'Farrell's team-leading fifth of the year and Greco's second helper.
 
Late into the match, with Rebecca Przybylo (Canton, Mich.-Plymouth) making several diving and leaping saves, the Eagles looked to counter on the defender's momentum and cashed in with just over five minutes to play. On the play, the Eagles collected the ball in the attacking third with Greco carrying down the right side and lifting a pass into the box. Hannah Thompson (Schoolcraft, Mich.-Schoolcraft), with a large cheering section in the stands, was waiting on the back post where she rose above her defender and headed home the winner. The goal, her third of the year, also marks the first game-winner of her career.

ATHENS, Ohio – The Ball State soccer team was back on the pitch for a Mid-American Conference matchup with Ohio on Sunday. The Cardinals relied on goals from Grace Alsop and Lexi Fraley for a 2-1 victory over the Bobcats.
 
Ball State recorded its first win in Athens since a 1-0 victory in 2007. The Cardinals improved to 6-4-5 overall and 5-1-2 in MAC contests, while the Bobcats fell to 7-6-2 overall and 3-4-1 in conference action.
 
"It's great to get back on track with a win today," said Head Coach Josh Rife. "I thought the team battled hard and did a lot of the little things to preserve the victory. Wins are always great, but road wins are just a little sweeter because they're always a little harder to come by. I continue to be proud of this group and their fight."
 
In the eighth minute, the Cardinals earned a corner kick. Lexy Smith stepped up and sent a perfectly placed ball to the back post. Alsop was there and headed the corner into the back of the net to give Ball State a 1-0 lead.
 
At the break, the Cardinals outshot the Bobcats 8-3. The shots on goal tally was much closer, 3-2, in favor of BSU. Bethany Moser made two saves in the first half.
 
In the 53rd minute, Abby Elgert sent a well-placed cross into the box for Fraley. Fraley used the first touch to rip it by the Ohio keeper. Fraley's goal extended the Carinal lead to 2-0.
 
Abby Townsend cut the Ball State lead in half with a shot that she got to pinball off the crossbar and bounce into the back of the net.
 
Moser improved to 6-4-5 on the season and made three saves on the afternoon. She moved her saves total on the season to 55. Alsop netted her first goal of the season, while Fraley collected her fourth of the season. Elgert notched her team-leading sixth assist of the season, while Smith tallied her fourth.
 
Ball State stays on the road for its next MAC contest. The Cardinals take on the Kent State Golden Flashes on Thursday, Oct. 20, with first touch scheduled for 7 p.m.

 

AKRON, Ohio – Maggie Basse scored from a corner kick in the final 30 seconds on Sunday as the Central Michigan soccer team played to a 2-2 draw with Mid-American Conference opponent Akron at the Zips' FirstEnergy Field.
 
With three regular season games left on the schedule, CMU is 2-9-4, 1-4-3 MAC.
 
"We always talk about things like self-belief and self-confidence and things like that," said CMU coach Jeremy Groves, whose team is 1-1-2 in its last four starts. "I feel like our younger players, especially, are starting to grasp that.
 
"Our goals never really change in terms of what we're trying to achieve, but I think overall with our players individually they're starting to believe that they can perform at this level and with the amount of work they put in, they can reap their rewards. That's a good thing for our younger players to see."
 
Emma King scored in the fourth minute to give the Zips a 1-0 lead. Ella Hadley extended the lead to 2-0 with a goal in the 58th minute.
 
The Chippewas picked up the pace in the final 30 minutes as Megan Logue put CMU on the board in the 66th minute, assisted by Elizabeth Chlystun, which led up to Basse's game-tying shot in the final moments.
 
"At halftime we made some tactical changes," Groves said. "We changed formations in the first half because (Akron was) playing well and causing us some problems. So in the second half we changed it a little bit more and we also changed some personnel. Full credit to our team, we came out and responded, we were a little bit unlucky to give up the second goal on a deflection, but I thought Emma (Shingler) in the second half was really good.
 
"The really good thing was they took on board the tactical changes that we made, they understood and executed it really well and in the end, I feel like we got what we deserved."
 
The Zips outshot the Chippewas, 10-3, and finished with a 5-0 edge in corner kicks.
 
Shingler, a freshman, made seven saves in goal for CMU.
 
The Chippewas are scheduled to play at MAC-leading Buffalo on Thursday, Oct. 20 (7 p.m.). The Bulls are 11-1-3, 5-0-3 after playing to a scoreless tie at Bowling Green on Sunday. They are on an 11-game unbeaten streak.
 
"We're still hoping that we can make the conference tournament," Groves said. "I think it's going to be difficult, and we've got to play catchup here, but we've got to show character and show that we can compete. The last three games are against the top three or four teams in the league, and that's going to tell a lot of things about where we're at and how we've developed.
 
"Every game that we play, I think we should be getting something out of the game, and now we, our younger players especially, are starting to believe that."

DEKALB, Ill. – The Kent State soccer team earned a 1-1 draw against Northern Illinois in a Mid-American Conference matchup on Sunday afternoon.

The Golden Flashes (4-6-5, 4-1-3 MAC) extend their unbeaten stretch to five games, while Northern Illinois (5-6-4, 2-4-2 MAC) snaps a two-game losing streak.

Freshman Taylor English netted the lone goal for the Flashes on the afternoon. English intercepted an attempted clearance inside the 18-yard box in the 35th minute, pushed the ball to her left, and lobbed it over the keeper and across the goal line.  

The goal was the first of English's collegiate career. The Illinois native has appeared in all 15 games during her freshman season, including four starts. 

Northern Illinois was able to find the equalizer shortly after the halftime break, and neither side could break the deadlock as the game clock ticked down. 

The Huskies held the advantage over the Flashes in shots (12-9) and shots on goal (6-2). Junior Luca Ralph led in the box score with three shots, while English and redshirt junior Lauryn Arruda each tallied a shot on goal. Senior goalkeeper Sarah Melén recorded her second consecutive five-save effort.

The Flashes will be back in action on Thursday, Oct. 20, when they host Ball State at Zoeller Field at Dix Stadium. First touch is set for 7 p.m.