The Falcons celebrate a goal by Anthony Wayne graduate Alaina Uncapher (12) in Thursday’s win. (Drake Harlett | BGSU Athletics)
MUNCIE, Ind. – The Bowling Green State University women’s soccer team went on the road and picked up a 2-0 win over Ball State University on Thursday afternoon in the Mid-American Conference opener for both teams at the Briner Sports Complex.
Alaina Uncapher (Anthony Wayne) and Emily Hollar scored second-half goals for the Falcons (4-2-1), while the BGSU defense recorded a third consecutive shutout. Madison Vukas made three saves in goal en route to the clean sheet.
Uncapher’s goal was her second of the season and the third of her Falcon career. It was her second game-winning goal as a Falcon, with the other coming in a MAC Tournament win over Western Michigan in 2022.
Uncapher now has five total points this season, tying her with fellow Anthony Wayne grad Brynn Gardner. Gardner picked up her team-leading third assist of the season on Emily Hollar’s goal.
Hollar, like Uncapher, now has two goals this season and three in her BGSU career. Both Hollar and Uncapher saw action as freshmen on the 2022 team before sitting out all of last season.
The Cardinals (5-3) entered the match ranked 12th in the nation in goals per game, and BSU had scored 13 goals over the past two matches. But, the Falcons allowed the high-powered hosts to take just three shots on goal, with Vukas up to the task each time.
Madison Vukas earned her fourth shutout of the season and, as mentioned, her third in as many matches. Vukas has a goals-against average of just 0.57 in 2024.
The Cardinals were picked to finish second in the MAC in the preseason coaches’ poll, while the Falcons were tabbed to finish sixth.
In the 10th minute of the match, Brynn Gardner won a corner for the Falcons, after stealing a BSU pass near midfield and making a long run. Off of that corner, the ball bounced around in the box before it was momentarily cleared.
But, Taylor Green tracked it down and played a nifty diagonal ball into the center of the box. Christine Erdman ran onto the serve and put a header on frame, but BSU goalkeeper Grace Konopatzki made an impressive diving save to keep the ball out of the net. Off of the ensuing corner kick, a header by Green sailed high.
Midway through the opening half, Erdman served the ball toward Gardner in the box. Gardner attempted to control the bouncing ball, and with a defender on her, the BG junior managed to poke the ball over the head of Konopatzki, but the shot also went over the crossbar.
In the 29th minute, a cross by Lilly Boebel found Gardner in the box. She hit a hard shot across her body from near the 18, but the shot went wide left.
Vukas stopped a shot by Addie Chester in the 32nd minute, grabbing it off of a bounce, and she also plucked a Kaelyn Valleau header out of the air with 30 seconds left in the opening half.
Vukas also made a stop on Avery Fenchel just 2:14 into the second half, and the Cardinals would not put another shot on goal for the remainder of the game. Would the Falcons put any shots on goal in the final 42-plus minutes? Reader, they would.
BGSU took the lead in the 55th minute. Emme Butera took a corner kick, firing it toward the far side of the six-yard box. Uncapher was there, rising up and heading the ball back the other way. The shot sailed over BSU goalkeeper Kate Pallante and found the far upper corner of the net.
BSU had several shot attempts – four, to be exact – over the next 15 minutes of the match, but three were blocked and the fourth rolled harmlessly wide.
With just over three minutes left in the match, the Falcons recorded the clinching goal. Green poked the ball away from a BSU player in the Falcons’ end of the field, directing it to Gardner in the center circle.
Gardner took one touch and played a through ball to Emily Hollar. Hollar streaked past one Cardinal defender, shook off a challenge from another and slid the ball into the far corner of the net to double the lead.
The Cardinals had a 12-6 advantage in total shot attempts, and BSU had five corner kicks to the Falcons’ four. Both teams put three shots on goal.
BGSU has allowed just four goals in seven matches this season to date, for a goals-against average of 0.57.
The Falcons are home this weekend, facing Toledo on Sunday afternoon. First touch is set for 1 p.m., and admission is free. Sunday will be Senior Day for the Falcons, with several members of the program recognized in ceremonies prior to the match.
