Hernandez's Second-Half Goal Lifts U-M Past Bowling Green in Home Opener

Sunday, August 22

Ann Arbor, Mich.

7:00 PM

Michigan

2-0-0, 0-0-0

Bowling Green

0-2-0, 0-0-0

Bowling Green

Michigan

Nicki Hernandez (Michigan Photography)

Hernandez's Second-Half Goal Lifts U-M Past Bowling Green in Home Opener

8/22/2021 10:00:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score PDF Boxscore

By: Scott Kemps

» Sunday night's match was the first U-M sporting event without attendance restrictions in 529 days.
» Nicki Hernandez scored the match-winner in the 75th minute off a corner from Hannah Blake.
» U-M dominated the second half, outshooting Bowling Green 10-4 with several quality chances.

Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (U-M Soccer Stadium)
Score: Michigan 2, Bowling Green 1
Records: U-M (2-0), BGSU (0-2)
Attendance: 877
Next U-M Event: Thurs, Aug. 26 -- vs. Western Michigan (U-M Soccer Stadium), 7 p.m.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan women's soccer team took its home-opener by a 2-1 score over Bowling Green on Sunday night (Aug. 22) at U-M Soccer Stadium. Senior Nicki Hernandez netted the match-winner in the 75th minute of play in the first U-M sporting event without attendance restrictions in 529 days.

BGSU (0-2) got on the board less than one minute into the match as Michigan (2-0) started flat-footed. Bowling Green's Mackenzie Reuber played a ball from the right flank into the box and skipped it past a Wolverine defender to an opportunistic Lacey Bethea for a lower-right finish as the Falcons took a 1-0 advantage.

Michigan leveled the score in the 12th minute on an own goal. Senior Meredith Haakenson headed a service from classmate Raleigh Loughman that skipped off a Falcon defender just outside the six and found the back of the net to level the score at 1.

In the first half, U-M outshot the Falcons 6-4, but only registered two shots on frame. The Falcons collected a pair of cards in the opening stanza as well.

Coming out of the intermission, junior Dani Wolfe nearly put the Wolverines in the lead. A threaded ball from Hernandez in the middle of the park found Wolfe in stride at the top of the six. Her left-footed attempt looked for the far post and rolled just wide as the tally held at 1-1.

In all, U-M outshot Bowling Green 6-2 over the first 25 minutes of the second half, and the offensive pressure paid off in the 75th minute. Haakenson was taken down in the box, resulting in a penalty kick from sophomore Sammi Woods that was saved out of bounds. On the ensuing corner from junior Hannah Blake, the low liner of a service was put home near-post by Hernandez to give U-M a 2-1 lead.

Freshman Avery Kalitta earned the starting nod at holding midfield, playing 57 minutes, and junior Jayde Riviere logged 52 minutes.

Tweet of the Match

76' | GOAL!

Following a missed PK for Woods, the ensuing corner from Blake is put home near post by Hernandez.

2:1
#GoBlue? | #InPursuit pic.twitter.com/xiBLtDaQkm
— Michigan Women's Soccer (@umichwsoccer) August 23, 2021

The Wolverines will continue their five-match homestand on Thursday (Aug. 26) at 7 p.m. when they host Western Michigan on Pride Day at U-M Soccer Stadium. The contest will will be streamed live on Big Ten Network+.