Soccer Locks up MAC West with 2-1 Win at Buffalo

Thursday, October 19

Buffalo, N.Y.

7:00 PM

Ball State University

9-6-2 (7-1-1MAC)

Buffalo

6-8-2 (4-4-1MAC)

Team	1	2	Final F
Ball State	1	1	2
Buffalo	0	1	1

Photo by: Scott Mattlin

October 19, 2017 | Soccer

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Yela Ziswiler scores twice, answers Buffalo’s tying goal with late tally

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The Ball State soccer team demonstrated its resiliency Thursday night, answering a late penalty kick from Buffalo to pull out a 2-1 victory over the Bulls on their home turf.

Sophomore defender Yela Ziswiler scored both Ball State goals as the Cardinals secured a third straight Mid-American Conference West Division championship. BSU is the first program to achieve three straight division crowns since the MAC went to divisions in 2010.

Ball State locked up a quarterfinal home game for the conference tournament and will be no worse than the No. 2 seed. The Cardinals (9-6-2, 7-1-1 MAC) remain two points behind Kent State in the overall league standings with two games left to play.

"Yela stepping up on the set pieces tonight was great to see," Ball State head coach Craig Roberts said. "And I thought Paula Guerrero played a very good game. We did very well defensively and were unlucky to give up a goal."

Senior goalkeeper Tristin Stuteville made nine saves and teamed with the back line to keep Buffalo (6-8-2, 4-4-1 MAC) off the scoreboard until the 77th minute.

Up until that point, Ziswiler's 42nd-minute goal was the only one of the night. It came as the result of a corner kick that was deflected in the box before Sam Mattlin ripped a shot off the post. Ziswiler was there for the rebound and sent it past UB keeper Laura Dougall.

Buffalo picked up its attack in the second half, but Ball State was able to fend off the Bulls' attempts until Ziswiler was whistled for a foul in the box in the 77th minute. Buffalo's Julia Benati converted the penalty kick to tie the game.

But the Cardinals were not deflated.

"They pressured us hard in the second half, and we didn't have that many opportunities," Ziswiler said. "Once they scored, we knew we had to put pressure on them. I gave up the PK, and I was mad so I was like, 'I have to score now.'"

And that's just what she did. Not even two minutes later, Lauren Roll made a play to earn another BSU corner kick. Allison Abbe sent a great ball into the 6-yard box, and Ziswiler was able to deflect it into the net for the game-winner.

"We had some things go against us tonight, and I felt we dropped off a little bit in the second half," Roberts said. "But I thought our team demonstrated great character to not let anything get us down."

Thursday's game was the first of three straight on the road for Ball State to close out the regular season. The Cardinals will continue this week's trip Sunday with a 1 p.m. contest at Akron.