MUNCIE, Ind. ? On a day in which the Ball State soccer team celebrated its 2007 Mid-American Conference championship, the Cardinals scored two goals in the first 16 minutes of play to claim their third straight MAC win with a 3-0 victory over Kent State at the BSU Soccer Field. The victory improves the Cardinals to 7-5-0 overall and 3-1-0 in MAC play to move into sole possession of second place in the MAC.
“Today capped off a great weekend for Ball State soccer,” head coach Michael Lovett said. “We played with a passion and desire today. We went through this weekend scoring seven goals in two games while only allowing one against. The team has responded well to the early adversity and is playing with a lot of heart.”
The Cardinals came out of the gate carrying the momentum from Friday's game and quickly put the Golden Flashes in the hole. The Cardinals were aggressive in the KSU end as senior forward Emily Rein (Cincinnati, Ohio/Oak Hills) was hauled down at the top of the 18-yard box for a Ball State free kick.
Senior midfielder Katelyn Alexander (Fort Wayne, Ind./Carroll) stepped forward and ripped a shot over the KSU wall and into the back of the net. Kent State goalkeeper Kelly Sherwood could only watch as the perfectly stuck ball gave the Cardinals the 1-0 lead. The goal was the first of the season for Alexander and the eighth of her career.
Ball State came close to converting a set piece again in the 11th minute. Alexander sent the ball into the box where Rein was able to get a header on the cross, but the ball sailed just wide of the goal. The Cardinals relentlessly attacked and their pressure paid dividends in the 16th minute.
Rein out-worked three Kent State midfielders for a loose ball and came away from the scramble just over the midline. She sent a through ball the width of the field and found freshman midfielder Abby Milillo (Hamilton, Ohio/Badin) in behind the Kent State defense. Milillo took advantage of the space and beat Sherwood one-on-one as she placed a perfect shot low to the opposite corner for her first career goal.
Ball State continued its strong play in the first half as junior defender Patti Hoeg (Northville, Mich./Ladywood) came in off the bench and almost immediately found the back of the net. Hoeg entered on a BSU corner kick and ran onto a loose ball just outside the 18-yard box. She ripped a shot that sailed just inches over the Kent State goal, narrowly missing her first goal of the season. Ball State dominated play in the first half as it out-shot the Golden Flashes by an 8-1 margin.
Kent State (5-6-0, 2-2-0 MAC), which entered the weekend tied for first in the MAC, regrouped at halftime and came out the break stronger than its first half. The Golden Flashes finally put pressure on the Cardinals' defense, but BSU was up to the task as senior goalkeeper Rachael Murphy (Zionsville, Ind./Zionsville) only had to make only one save in the game for the shutout.
The Cardinals answered the KSU intensity down the stretch as they dominated in the final 15 minutes of the game. Sophomore forward Jacki Eft (Fishers, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern) broke down the left side and found Rein in the box with a through ball in the 81st minute. Rein got off a low shot that Sherwood was able to smother to keep KSU within two goals.
Ball State kept the pressure on as freshman midfielder Sarah Orisich (Columbus, Ind./Columbus North) ripped a shot that Sherwood was able to make a sprawling save on in the 83rd minute. The Cardinals were rewarded for their strong play just minutes later as Orisich found an oncoming Hoeg down the right side.
Hoeg took the pass and lofted a cross into the box where it found the head of Rein who deposited it in the back of the net to give the Cardinals a 3-0 lead. The goal was the third of the season for Rein while the assists were the first of Hoeg's and Orisich's careers.
The goal also give Rein 25 career goals which moves her into a tie for second all-time in Ball history with former Cardinal Kate Nadalin. She is just five goals shy of tying the BSU record of 30 set by Dee Nocero. Rein also moved into second place all-time in career points scored as she has 65 points to move past Nadalin (63) for second and is just 11 points shy of Nocero's record of 76 points.
Ball State finished the weekend with two victories as it out-scored its opponents by a 7-1 margin. The Cardinals had seven different players find the back of the net on the weekend and have out-scored their opponents by a 10-1 margin in their current three-game winning streak.
Following the game, the Cardinals recognized their 2007 MAC regular season championship with a ring ceremony. Ball State President Dr. Jo Ann. M. Gora and Director of Athletics Tom Collins were on hand to present championship rings to each member of last year's team. The Cardinals are the only team in MAC history to have won back-to-back outright MAC titles.
The Cardinals will hit the road next weekend for a pivotal two-game swing as they battle Bowling Green Friday and Toledo on Sunday.
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