Bowling Green State University’s men’s soccer team maintained aggressiveness but ultimately was defeated by No. 17 Indiana 2-0 on Sunday in the NCAA tournament’s round of 32 on Jerry Yeagley Field at Bill Armstrong Stadium.
The Falcons (11-6-3) and Hoosiers (15-5-1) dueled to a scoreless first half, and Indiana broke through for an early second-half goal and tacked on an insurance goal two-thirds of the way through the match in advancing to the round of 16.
“We played well, we executed a lot of our game plan,” BGSU coach Eric Nichols said. “I thought we controlled the tempo of the game, particularly in the first half. Got into some good cycles. But, hats off to IU. They’ve been here before, they’ve done this a lot, and good teams are able to execute in [key] moments.”
BGSU’s Kale Nichols fired the first shot on goal in the 14th minute toward the lower right corner of the net, but Indiana’s Roman Celentano was able to make the save. In the first half, Indiana took three shots, but none of them were on goal. Bowling Green had one shot on goal, and one corner kick compared to Indiana’s three.
The Hoosiers broke the draw with Victor Bezerra’s right-footed boot through the lower left corner of the net near the end of the 47th minute. They got an insurance goal in the 61st minute from Spencer Glass, with help from Herbert Endeley.
“Goals change games,” coach Nichols said. “That’s the game. Disappointing, but I couldn’t be more proud of the group. Even right to the final whistle, the way we were pressing and playing, I couldn’t be more happy with that.”
Bowling Green out-shot Big Ten tournament runner-up Indiana 12-6 overall, but the Falcons had just three shots on goal to Indiana’s two. Bowling Green keeper Brendan Graves did not record a save. Celentano recorded three saves.
“For as good as I think we played, at moments we didn’t create enough,” coach Nichols said. “We didn’t have any real clear chances, and that’s maybe been our Achilles’ heel this year. When we can get that break or we can get that goal then we’re really good, but when we leave teams in the game, then it’s up for grabs.
“I thought we did a lot of good stuff in the final third but didn’t quite create the chances we needed to.”
First Published November 21, 2021, 9:46 p.m.
