Ohio hosted Bowling Green on Sunday in a must-win game to keep its chances at reaching the Mid-American Conference Championship alive. The Bobcats weren't successful and Bowling Green defeated Ohio 3-0 Sunday afternoon.
The first half started out with movement from both sides of the field and each team looked like it came to play. The Falcons didn’t let that last long after a goal and a successful penalty kick put Ohio in a two-goal deficit midway through the first half.
The Falcons (5-1, 5-1 MAC) refused to let up and a goal from Madi Wolfbauer in the second half all but sealed Ohio's fate. Coach Aaron Rodgers noted that Bowling Green is far more aggressive than other teams in the MAC.
“They just have a little extra edge in their fights," Rodgers said after the game. "They step up. They seem to always step to the ball a little harder."
Ohio (2-4, 2-4 MAC) was plagued with missed opportunities and was outshot at the goal. The Bobcats also struggled to have chemistry which was essential in this matchup. Although those main pieces were important to have, they weren’t the only things Ohio was missing. Senior goalkeeper Sydney Malham and freshman Shae Robertson have been out with injuries, which means the Bobcats were down two vital players against the Falcons.
Malham has been out with a broken finger since Ohio's match against Kent State last week. The senior underwent surgery on Friday and will be absent for the remainder of the season. Robertson is dealing with a touch-and-go injury. Rodgers hopes that Robertson will be able to close out the season with the Bobcats, but the outlook is still cloudy.
The Bobcats are without two starters, but they have to press forward. The season isn't waiting for them. The Bobcats need to figure out what can get the momentum going again before they head back on the road to play in a pair of away games next weekend. The team will travel to Miami on Thursday and to Akron on Sunday in another chance to get back on track.
