YPSILANTI, Mich. - The Ball State soccer team suffered its third straight Mid-American Conference loss Sunday afternoon as the Cardinals fell short of the Eastern Michigan Eagles 2-1 at Scicluna Field. The loss drops the Cardinals to 4-9-0 overall on the year and 2-4-0 in MAC play while the Eagles improve to 7-3-4 overall and 3-1-2 in conference action.

            The two teams battled back and forth for most of the first half as the Eagles held a 10-7 advantage in shots. Freshman forward Paige Stroinski (Granger, Ind./Penn) had a couple of early chances against EMU goalkeeper Maggie Manville but could not find the back of the net.

            Eastern Michigan opening the scoring as it scored in the 41^st minute against freshman goalkeeper Nicole Wood (Strongsville, Ohio/Strongsville). Paige Sheridan sent a cross into the six-yard box where Ashley Rodrigues was able to one-touch it into the back of the net to give EMU a 1-0 lead. 

            The Cardinals came out in the second half and started to put more pressure on the EMU defense as junior forward Missy Gordon (Carmel, Ind./Marshall Univ.) registered a couple of early shots. The Eagles withstood the BSU pressure and took a two-goal lead in the 69^th minute of action. Sheridan ripped a shot from inside the 18-yard box that Wood made a diving save on, but the rebound came out in front for Rodrigues who put it in the back of the net for her second goal of the game.

            Ball State responded to the goal with a tally of its own in the 74^th minute to narrow the deficit to 2-1. Senior midfielder Megan Ridley (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence Central) sent a pass down the left side that found Gordon in space. Gordon ripped a shot high over Manville's out-stretched arms for her second goal of the season.

            The Cardinals kept the pressure on as Ridley had a pair of chances in the final 15 minutes. Manville stopped Ridley in the 78^th minute and the Cardinals' senior captain came within inches of tying the game in the 84^th minute off of a set piece just outside the 18-yard box that Manville was able to push over the cross bar.

            Eastern Michigan finished the game with a 23-15 advantage in shots in the victory. Gordon was the Cardinals' offensive star as she posted a game-high six shots in the loss. Wood posted nine saves in the loss while Manville tallied seven saves for the Eagles.

            Ball State returns to action next weekend with two more road games as the Cardinals travel to Ohio Friday afternoon and Akron Sunday.

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