Cleveland State will host Bowling Green for its last non-conference home game of the season tomorrow at 1 p.m. The match provides the Vikings a chance to secure their first win under head coach Mark Sappington, who is looking for his first collegiate victory. Sappington previously served as an assistant coach with new Bowling Green head coach Chris Fox at Morehead State last year.
Cleveland State recently earned its first point with a 1-1 draw against Saint Francis on the road, thanks to a goal from a senior player which marked the first of her career. The assist came from Penton, who also recorded her first career assist in the match.
Bowling Green enters the game with a 2-2-0 record but has struggled recently, suffering two consecutive losses by shutout, including a 1-0 defeat at Loyola in their last outing. The Falcons have scored six goals this season, led by Lauren Mahoney with two. Goalkeeper Madison Vukas has been active in net, making 15 saves so far.
This matchup will be the eighth encounter between Cleveland State and Bowling Green, with BGSU holding a slight 4-3 lead in the series. The teams last faced each other in 2014, when Cleveland State secured a 2-1 victory on the road. After four consecutive losses in the series, the Vikings have won the last three meetings.
Cleveland State’s goal-scoring leader currently ranks ninth on the program’s all-time list with 11 goals, seeking to close in on the record of 19 held by Vickie Havas and Natalie Daniels. Sappington became the fourth head coach in the program’s 20-year history on January 5, 2024, following his two seasons as assistant and recruiting coordinator at Morehead State.
Following this weekend’s game, Cleveland State will begin a three-game road trip, starting with a non-conference matchup against Akron on Thursday, September 12 at 7 p.m.