For the fifth time this season, Bowling Green girls soccer gave up a goal in the opening minutes and could not recover, falling to Sylvania Southview, 1-0, at Bobcat Stadium Wednesday.

The Bobcats, who fall to 0-4 overall and 0-2 in the Northern Lakes League Cardinal Division, have given up that first goal not only in their four regular season games, but in their final scrimmage.

“I think we need to figure out the first five minutes of the game,” BG coach Erika Kimple said.“Including the Anthony Wayne scrimmage, the last five competitions we’ve allowed a goal in the first five minutes. We just have to figure it out.”

Southview’s goal was scored by junior forward London Ohnezeit on an assist from senior forward Riley Shinaver just over five minutes after the opening kickoff.

The remainder of the half possession time was evenly split between the Bobcats and Cougars, but BG could not find a way to score. Even the last 75 minutes of soccer the Bobcats were unable to capitalize despite multiple opportunities.

BG outshot Southview 8-5 in the second half and controlled over 65% of possession time, but shots were just outside the crossbar or defended by the Cougars’ back line before they could reach the net.

As a result, the Cougars still owned a 4-1 edge in shots on goal the second half. BG even had five corner kicks to the Cougars’ none, plus the Bobcats had four free kicks in the Cougars’ defensive zone, including two just outside the keepers’ box.

It was what Kimple wanted to see offensively, but you can’t win without scoring.

“I don’t know why we keep coming out great in the second half. We do — we come out in the second half,” Kimple said.“We just have to find a way to find the back of the net. If we didn’t struggle with a strong beginning, I’m sure it is going to happen.”

The Cougars improved to 3-2 overall and 2-0 in the Cardinal Division. Southview coach Shawn Comes said once his team got the one goal lead, his defense just had to stand tall.

“It’s just good composure back there,” Comes said. “That is what we try to teach them — not to over commit, stay patient, just keep your shape, try to keep everything simple and push everything as wide as you can.

“We just grind it out. They have a good team, they move the ball well, and they started moving it better in the second, so we had to grind it out.”

On Monday, BG traveled to Liberty-Benton, falling 4-2 in non-league action. BG sophomore forward Alayna Mahan scored both goals on assists from senior midfielder Claire Rieman and freshman defender Hayley Baker.