Late Goal Downs Soccer At Indiana

Sunday, September 16

Bloomington, Ind.

2 p.m.

Ball State University

Indiana

September 16, 2007 | Soccer

By: Ball State Athletics

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. ? The Ball State soccer team dropped a heartbreaker on Sunday afternoon as the Cardinals fell 2-1 against instate rival Indiana at Armstrong Stadium. The Cardinals dominated play throughout the game as they out-shot the Hoosiers by a 20-10 margin, including a 12-3 advantage in the second half.

“We dominated the play today and I am so proud of our effort,” head coach Michelle Salmon said. “We played with so much heart, so much character and so much intensity that epitomizes Ball State Soccer. We all know that the results are going to come for this team.”

Indiana (4-1-1), who is receiving votes in the latest Top 25 poll, struck early against the Cardinals as it jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the second minute of the game. The Hoosiers put some pressure on the Ball State defense and midfielder Chloe McKay was able to crack a shot from the to of the 18-yard box past the diving Rachael Murphy (Zionsville, Ind./Zionsville) for the opening tally.

The Cardinals (2-4-0) settled in and controlled the tempo for most of the first half as they out-shot the Hoosiers by an 8-7 margin. Junior forward Sarah Schumacker (Hamilton, Ohio/Fairfield) was all over the field in the opening frame as she came close to tying the game in the fifth minute as her shot sailed just over the cross bar.

Junior midfielder Annie Aiello (Granger, Ind./Penn) found Schumacker in behind the defense in the 18^th minute but Schumacker poke around Hoosier goalkeeper Lauren Hollandsworth just skidded wide.

Ball State struck quickly to start the second half as it used pressure from the opening kick. Junior forward Emily Rein (Cincinnati, Ohio/Oak Hills) received the ball in the middle of the field and attacked the Indiana defense before being pulled down at the top of the 18-yard box for a BSU free kick in the 48^th minute.

Junior midfielder Katelyn Alexander (Fort Wayne, Ind./Carroll) stepped forward and drilled a bending shot around the Indiana wall and into the back of the net to tie the game at 1-1. The goal broke a Cardinal scoreless streak of over 269 minutes dating back to their victory at Florida Atlantic.

The Cardinals dominated the second half as they registered the first 10 shots of the second stanza but could not notch the go ahead goal. Rein had an opportunity in the 81^st minute as she took a pass from Schumacker and ripped a shot from the top of the 18-yard box that Hollandsworth had to make a diving save to stop.

Ball State kept the pressure on as senior forward Sarah Leibel (Cincinnati, Ohio/St. Ursula) found some space at the top of the box and rifled a shot that Hollandsworth was able to narrowly push over the cross bar.

Indiana was able to secure the game-winning goal on a counter attack on its first shot of the second half in the 86^th minute. Kristin Arnold was able to find forward Liz Holby in behind the Cardinal defense and Holby placed the ball past Murphy to give the Hoosiers a 2-1 lead.

The Cardinals threw everything at the Hoosiers in the final four minutes trying to tie the game but could not secure their second goal. Ball State finished with a 12-3 advantage on shots in the second half and a 6-1 advantage on corner kicks. Alexander led the attack with a career-high six shots in the loss.

Murphy finished the game with two saves in her second game back from injury, while Hollandsworth tallied four saves in the Indiana victory. The Cardinals and Hoosiers are now 1-1 all-time against each other and Ball State drops to 3-2-0 all-time against Big Ten foes.

The Cardinals will return home to the BSU Soccer Field on Friday afternoon as they host regional foe Illinois State. Game time is set for 4 p.m. and admission, as always, in FREE to Cardinal Soccer.

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