Soccer Overpowers Eastern Michigan, 2-0

Sunday, September 30

Muncie, Ind.

1 p.m.

Ball State University

Eastern Michigan

September 30, 2007 | Soccer

By: Ball State Athletics

            MUNCIE, Ind. ? On a day when the Ball State soccer team honored its 2006 Mid-American Conference regular season championship, the 2007 Cardinals improved to 2-0-0 in conference play as they defeated Eastern Michigan, 2-0 on Sunday afternoon at the BSU Soccer Field. The Cardinals secured the victory in front of 759 fans which is the largest crowd in program history.

           “This weekend was a tremendous weekend for Ball State Soccer,” second-year head coach Michelle Salmon said. “The atmosphere was electric all weekend with our fans and the BSU band. We defended really well this weekend and played as a team against two of the top teams in the conference.”

            Ball State (5-4-0, 2-0-0) completed its MAC season opening weekend in impressive style as it recorded its second shutout of the conference season and its third straight overall. The Cardinal defense held Eastern Michigan to just five shots on the afternoon while junior goalkeeper Rachael Murphy (Zionsville, Ind./Zionsville) recorded two saves in her 10^th career shutout.

The Cardinals came out of the gate quickly and took the lead in the fourth minute of play as their pressure lead to an EMU defensive miscue. Senior forward Sarah Leibel (Cincinnati, Ohio/St. Ursula) sent a ball into the box that got behind the EMU defnder and was headed for junior forward Sarah Schumacker (Hamilton, Ohio/Fairfield).

The EMU defender misplayed the ball and sent it back towards the open goal as EMU goalkeeper Maggie Manville had come off of her line to secure the loose ball. Schumacker pounced on the opportunity and beat the EMU defender in a foot race for the loose ball on the goal line and powered the ball into the back of the net for with 1-0 lead. The goal at the 3:50 mark, was the quickest goal scored by BSU this season and the quickest since the Cardinals scored 51 seconds into their victory over Buffalo last season.

Junior forward Emily Rein (Cincinnati, Ohio/Oak Hills) almost gave the Cardinals a two-goal lead just 13 second later as the got in behind the defense and got a shot off under pressure that sailed just past the outside post. The Cardinal defense put the clamps on Eastern Michigan offense throughout the half as the Eagles did not register a shot on goal in the opening frame.

The Cardinals almost struck again right before halftime off of a set piece with 54 seconds left in the half. Freshman defender Kristina Anderson (Hamilton, Ohio/Badin) ripped a shot from 30-yards out that got over Manville's head but found the cross bar to thwart the BSU scoring chance.

Ball State continued to dominate the tempo of the game in the second half as it found most of the game's offensive opportunities. Junior midfielder Annie Aiello (Granger, Ind./Penn) had a shot from 16-yards out in the 53^rd minute that Manville had to make a diving save.

Freshman midfielder Cortney Coombs (Cincinnati, Ohio/Colerain) came close to securing her first collegiate goal in the 64^th minute. Coombs ran onto an attempted clearing attempt at the top of the 18-yard box and volleyed a shot that Manville had to smother to keep EMU within one goal.

The Cardinals used their aggressive attack to put the pressure on the Eastern Michigan defense in the 78^th minute. Rein received a ball from Leibel on the run at the top of the 18-yard box and got behind the EMU defense before being hauled down in the box for a penalty kick. Aiello stepped forward and calmly rocketed the penalty into the corner of the goal for a 2-0 Ball State lead. Aiello has now scored two goals so far this season with both goals coming from the penalty spot.

Eastern Michigan (3-4-2, 1-1-0 MAC) finally recorded its first shot on goal in the 79^th minute as the Eagles sent a cross into the box. Paige Sheridan sent a header towards the corner of the goal, but Murphy was there to preserve the shutout with a strong save.

The Cardinals are now 2-0-0 in MAC play for the second straight season and the fourth time in the program's nine-year history. The crowd of 759 fans is the largest ever to watch a game at the BSU Soccer Field, surpassing the previous record of 611 which watched the Cardinals knock of 19^th ranked Purdue at the end of the 2003 regular season.

After the game, the Cardinals honored the program's first ever MAC regular season championship with a ring ceremony. Ball State University President Dr. Jo Ann Gora and Director of Athletics Tom Collins were on hand to present each member of the team with their championship ring.

The Cardinals will be back in action next weekend as they hit the road for the first time in MAC play as they face off against Ohio on Friday afternoon.

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